EFFICACIOUS NOVENA TO SAINT STANISLAUS, BISHOP & MARTYR – DAY 6 (FOR HEALING OF THE SICK AND SUFFERING)

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Help is in the Name of the Lord, 

Who made Heaven and Earth.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

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Opening Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, You granted to St. Stanislaus, your faithful bishop and martyr, the grace to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel and to give his life in defence of justice and righteousness. Grant that through his intercession, we may receive the grace we seek during this novena. Strengthen our faith, deepen our hope, and increase our charity, that we may live courageously in the light of Your Gospel till the end. (Add your personal intention). We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Scriptural Reading, Life, Examples & Legacies (Part 6)

James 5:15 – “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up.”
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Meditation: Suffering touches every life, often in unexpected ways. Whether through physical illness, emotional anguish, mental distress, or spiritual desolation, the human heart knows pain intimately. The sick, the abandoned, the aging, the chronically ill, and those silently battling depression or anxiety – these are our brothers and sisters who often live on the fringes of daily concern.

In the life of St. Stanislaus, we find a bishop who never distanced himself from the suffering of his people. He did not view illness merely as a biological misfortune, but as a moment where God could act through grace, compassion, and human solidarity. Stanislaus was known to visit the sick in person, offering the sacraments, words of comfort, and his presence. He treated their sufferings not as inconveniences, but as privileged encounters with Christ crucified. He believed that care for the sick was not the task of professionals alone—it was the responsibility of every Christian soul. Like the Good Shepherd, he tended not only to the spiritually lost but to the physically wounded and emotionally broken. He reminded the faithful that in the face of illness, prayer is not a last resort; it is a participation in the healing ministry of Christ.

Today, we bring before the Lord all who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit. We remember those in hospital wards, those undergoing surgery, those battling terminal illness, and those with invisible wounds carried silently in their hearts. We pray especially for those who have no one to pray for them; forgotten souls whose pain is hidden from the public eye.

Let us also reflect on our own response to suffering: Do we avoid the sick because they make us uncomfortable? Are we present and compassionate to our family members or parishioners who are unwell? Do we recognize the face of Christ in the frail, the wounded, and the aging?

Above all, let us not forget that Christ, the Divine Physician, works through our hands, our words, our care, and our prayers. Miracles of healing often begin with acts of kindness, visits to the sick, encouragement, and patient intercession. Through the intercession of St. Stanislaus, who carried the burdens of his people, may our compassion be renewed, and may those who suffer know that they are not forgotten by God nor abandoned by the Church.

Litany of St. Stanislaus:

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, devoted shepherd, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, fearless witness to truth, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, martyr of the altar, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, defender of justice, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, humble and obedient servant, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, intercessor for the Church, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, protector of the oppressed, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, faithful in prayer, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, patron of Poland, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, model for bishops, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O glorious St. Stanislaus, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Concluding Prayer

Merciful Father, stretch out Your hand over the sick and grant them Your peace. Console the suffering and accompany the dying. Through the intercession of St. Stanislaus, may healing and hope return to their lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Shalom!
Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Seminário Padre Pedro Magnone, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?