Prayers of the Faithful for World Day of the Sick: 5 Sets

Here are five sets of prayers of the faithful for the World Day of the Sick, kept each year on February 11, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. St. John Paul II instituted the day in 1992, and it was first celebrated at Lourdes in 1993. Use these sets at a Mass with the anointing of the sick, in a hospital or nursing-home chapel, or at the parish Mass nearest the day. Each prays that the Church may continue Christ’s healing ministry, and then for the sick themselves (those with chronic, mental or terminal illness, children, the elderly), for doctors, nurses, chaplains and caregivers, and for those who cannot afford care. Every set ends with two optional intentions, for the sick of the parish and for the dead.

GET THE BEST PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL BOOK TODAY

How to use these prayers

Choose one set and adapt it; you may swap in an intention from another set.
Keep it short. Four to six intentions are enough; the Church asks that intentions be “sober” and “succinct” (GIRM 71).
Fill in names where you see N. or (Names).
Give the reader a printed copy and agree on the response, usually “Lord, hear our prayer.”
Name the sick of the parish in the first optional intention, with their consent, or keep a moment of silence for them after it.
In a hospital or care home, choose a short set and a clear reader; many who listen will be tired or in pain.
Add an intention for those who govern when a set is used on a Sunday.

Option 1: For Health-Care Workers, Those in Chronic Pain, Those Who Cannot Afford Care and Researchers

That the Church may continue Christ’s healing ministry with compassion, let us pray to the Lord.
For all healthcare workers and medical professionals, let us pray to the Lord.
For those suffering from chronic illness and pain, let us pray to the Lord.
For those unable to afford proper medical care, let us pray to the Lord.
For researchers working to cure diseases, let us pray to the Lord.

I. For caregivers in our parish community, let us pray to the Lord.
II. For those who have died after long illness, especially N., let us pray to the Lord.

Option 2: For Those with Mental Illness, Hospital Chaplains and Those in Hospice Care

For the Church’s healthcare institutions, that they may be beacons of hope, let us pray to the Lord.
For those battling mental illness and anxiety disorders, let us pray to the Lord.
For hospital chaplains and pastoral care workers, let us pray to the Lord.
For those receiving hospice care, let us pray to the Lord.

I. For our sick, bereaved, etc., special projects or events, let us pray to the Lord.
II. For healthcare workers who have died in service, especially N., let us pray to the Lord.

Option 3: For People with Disabilities, Nursing-Home Residents, Those in Recovery and Medical Missionaries

That the Church may bring comfort to those who suffer illness, let us pray to the Lord.
For those living with disabilities and chronic conditions, let us pray to the Lord.
For nursing home residents and their caregivers, let us pray to the Lord.
For those battling addiction and seeking recovery, let us pray to the Lord.
For medical missionaries serving in developing nations, let us pray to the Lord.

I. For those undergoing cancer treatment in our community, let us pray to the Lord.
II. For those who have died without access to medical care, especially N., let us pray to the Lord.

Option 4: For Sick Children and Their Families, Medical Research and Those with Rare Diseases

For the Church’s ministry to the sick and suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
For children with serious illnesses and their families, let us pray to the Lord.
For advances in medical research and treatment, let us pray to the Lord.
For those suffering from rare diseases, let us pray to the Lord.

I. For those battling seasonal illnesses in our parish, let us pray to the Lord.
II. For those who have died in hospital isolation, especially N., let us pray to the Lord.

Option 5: For Mental Health, Health-Care Workers Facing Burnout, the Elderly and Those Awaiting Transplants

That the Church may be a source of healing and hope, let us pray to the Lord.
For those suffering from mental health conditions, let us pray to the Lord.
For healthcare workers facing burnout, let us pray to the Lord.
For the elderly in nursing facilities, let us pray to the Lord.
For those awaiting organ transplants, let us pray to the Lord.

I. For those recovering from surgery in our parish, let us pray to the Lord.
II. For those who have died in hospice care, especially N., let us pray to the Lord.

A sample introduction and closing prayer

The priest introduces and concludes the intentions (GIRM 71). These samples were written for this guide; the celebrant may use his own words.

Introduction:

Brothers and sisters, Christ took our weaknesses upon himself and carried our diseases. With Mary, Health of the Sick, let us pray for all who are ill and for those who care for them.

Concluding prayer:

Father of mercies, your Son went about doing good and healing all who were ill. Hear our prayers for the sick: ease their pain, strengthen those who care for them, and let them know that you are near. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

When is the World Day of the Sick in 2027?

Thursday, February 11, 2027, the day after Ash Wednesday. Because it is a weekday of Lent, the Mass of the Lenten day is celebrated, and these intentions can be prayed in it. A parish may also keep the day at a Mass with anointing of the sick on another suitable date.

Can the sick be anointed during Mass?

Yes. The anointing follows the homily, and the rite has its own litany for the sick. Ask the priest whether that litany or a fuller set of intentions will be used.