The Saint Jude Novena: Asking for Intercession, Miracles, and More Than One Intention

Understanding a beautiful Catholic tradition, October 19–28

As the Feast of Saint Jude approaches on October 28, I have been preparing to begin a nine-day novena in his honour.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, has long been associated with difficult, desperate, and seemingly hopeless causes. For many Catholics, devotion to Saint Jude is particularly meaningful during periods when circumstances seem beyond their ability to change or resolve.

While preparing for this novena, I found myself reflecting on several questions that I suspect other Catholics may have wondered about as well.

How often should the prayer be recited? Is a novena traditionally prayed for nine consecutive days, or does it involve praying every hour for nine hours? Is it appropriate to ask for a miracle, or should we simply request Saint Jude’s intercession? And what if we are carrying several serious concerns rather than one particular intention?

I decided these questions deserved careful consideration, with answers grounded in the teachings and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.

What I learned was both reassuring and helpful, and I thought it worthwhile to share.

What Exactly Is a Novena?

The word novena comes from the Latin word for nine.

In Catholic tradition, a novena is a devotion involving prayer over nine days, or another recognized period associated with the number nine.

Its historical roots are often connected with the nine days of prayer observed by the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary between the Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost.

Over the centuries, Catholics developed novenas dedicated to particular saints, feast days, and spiritual intentions.

The purpose of a novena is not to persuade God through repetition or to guarantee a particular result. Rather, it provides a meaningful period of sustained prayer, allowing us to express our faith, deepen our trust, and persevere in bringing our concerns before Him.

Nine Days or Nine Hours? What Is Correct?

This was one of my first questions.

The traditional nine-day novena is ordinarily prayed once each day for nine consecutive days.

There are also nine-hour devotions, during which a particular prayer may be recited at intervals throughout a single day.

These are separate devotional practices.

For someone beginning a traditional Saint Jude feast-day novena, there is no requirement to pray every hour for nine hours, nor to repeat the prayer nine times each day.

A single, sincere daily recitation is entirely appropriate.

There is also no general Church requirement to pray at precisely the same hour each day, although maintaining a consistent time can be helpful.

For my own devotion, I have chosen to begin on October 19 and conclude on October 27, the day before Saint Jude’s feast.

Some established Catholic shrines follow a slightly different schedule, beginning October 20 and concluding on the feast itself, October 28.

Both arrangements are suitable for private devotion. Neither is universally mandated by Church law.

What Does It Mean to Ask for Saint Jude’s Intercession?

This is an important distinction in Catholic teaching.

When we pray to Saint Jude, we are not asking him to exercise divine power independently of God.

We are asking him to pray for us.

Catholics believe that the saints, united with Christ in Heaven, continue to intercede for the faithful.

In much the same way that we might ask a trusted friend or family member to pray for us during a difficult period, we may ask the saints to bring our petitions before God.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms this understanding in its teaching on the communion of saints.

Saint Jude does not replace our relationship with God. His intercession is understood as an expression of the spiritual communion shared by members of Christ’s Church.

May We Actually Ask for a Miracle?

Yes, we may.

I found this distinction particularly meaningful.

There is nothing inherently improper about asking God for a miracle through Saint Jude’s intercession.

The essential point is understanding whom we are asking.

Saint Jude intercedes. God alone possesses the divine power to perform miracles.

We may therefore pray:

“Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Saint Jude, I humbly ask You for a miracle concerning this situation.”

We may be specific about the circumstances and the outcome we hope to receive.

We may ask for extraordinary intervention when ordinary efforts seem insufficient.

At the same time, Catholic teaching encourages us to place our requests within God’s holy will.

This does not mean we must be uncertain about what we want, nor does it mean that we should hesitate to ask for something significant.

It means recognizing that while we may know what we desperately hope will happen, God sees the whole of circumstances that we cannot.

It is also worth remembering that an answer to prayer does not necessarily have to be miraculous in the strict theological sense to be meaningful. Divine Providence may work through ordinary people, opportunities, decisions, and events.

What If We Have More Than One Serious Concern?

This was another question I wanted to understand more fully.

Sometimes life does not present us with one difficulty at a time.

We may be concerned about the health of someone we love, a family relationship, financial responsibilities, an uncertain future, or a situation that seems to have no reasonable solution.

Several matters may weigh equally heavily upon our hearts.

Must we choose only one?

The answer is no.

There is no Catholic Church rule restricting a novena to one intention.

We may bring several intentions before God during the same nine-day devotion.

We may ask for Saint Jude’s intercession regarding each concern, and we may request divine intervention or a miracle wherever we believe extraordinary help is needed.

Nor must we begin a separate novena for every difficulty.

For those who find it helpful, I would suggest writing each intention on a separate line or page.

During the daily prayer, pause and name each concern individually.

There is no prescribed number of intentions, and no reason to believe that presenting several requests diminishes the sincerity or value of our prayers.

How Should We Word Our Personal Intentions?

I believe there is value in being clear about what we are asking.

We can express our concerns respectfully, directly, and without feeling obliged to use elaborate language.

For example:

“Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Saint Jude, I place before You the following intentions, each of which weighs heavily upon my heart.”

We can then name our concerns individually.

For one intention, we might ask for guidance and a just resolution.

For another, we might request healing, protection, or reconciliation.

For a particularly difficult circumstance, we may explicitly ask God for a miracle.

After presenting our intentions, we can conclude:

“Heavenly Father, You know the circumstances surrounding each of these concerns, including those beyond my knowledge and understanding. I ask You to hear my petitions and grant the graces and resolutions I seek, according to Your holy will.”

This is not an officially prescribed formula, but it is a way of expressing our requests that is consistent with Catholic teaching.

Must We Repeat Every Intention for All Nine Days?

There is no formal requirement to repeat the precise wording of each intention every day.

However, doing so can be a helpful personal practice.

I particularly appreciate the idea of writing down each concern and returning to it throughout the nine days.

It allows us to pray thoughtfully rather than rushing through a familiar set of words.

And should another urgent concern arise during the novena, we may include it without having to begin the entire devotion again.

Prayer is not governed by a numerical limit on the concerns we may bring before God.

Should We Include the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be?

These beautiful traditional Catholic prayers may certainly be included.

Some published novenas incorporate them as part of their particular devotional format.

However, there is no universal Church requirement that every privately composed Saint Jude Novena must include a particular number of additional prayers.

For those following a simple daily devotion, I would suggest beginning with the Sign of the Cross, reciting the chosen Saint Jude prayer, presenting personal intentions, and concluding with the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

These additional prayers are optional unless one has chosen to follow a particular novena text that includes them.

The important thing is to pray with attention, sincerity, and faith.

What About Attending Mass or Receiving Holy Communion?

Catholic devotion is always enriched by participation in the sacramental life of the Church.

Attending Mass, receiving Holy Communion when properly disposed, going to Confession when needed, and performing acts of charity are all meaningful expressions of Catholic faith.

However, these are not additional requirements imposed upon someone undertaking an ordinary private Saint Jude Novena.

Nor should we regard them as conditions that compel God to grant a particular request.

The Church encourages us to approach prayer as part of a living relationship with God, rather than as a transaction in which performing a certain number of religious actions guarantees an outcome.

A Word About Promises of Guaranteed Miracles

Anyone researching novenas online will likely encounter prayers accompanied by instructions promising that a request will be granted if the prayer is repeated a particular number of times or shared with others.

It is important to distinguish these claims from authentic Catholic teaching.

The Church does not teach that repeating a prayer a prescribed number of times guarantees a miracle.

The Catechism cautions against superstition, including attributing automatic or magical effectiveness to the external performance of religious practices.

Perseverance in prayer is encouraged.

The belief that we can oblige God to produce a particular result through repetition is not.

That distinction is worth remembering, particularly when we are praying about circumstances that cause considerable worry or distress.

October 28: The Feast of Saints Simon and Jude

For those beginning their novena on October 19, the nine days conclude on October 27.

The following day, October 28, is the Roman Catholic feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles.

I particularly like the idea of setting aside a little time on the feast day to offer a prayer of thanksgiving.

Not necessarily because every concern has already been resolved, but because gratitude remains an important part of our relationship with God.

We can give thanks for the opportunity to pray, for the strength to persevere, and for the grace to continue trusting in Divine Providence.

Those who are able may also wish to attend Mass.

A Final Reflection

One of the most reassuring aspects of preparing for this novena has been the reminder that we do not have to reduce the number of concerns we bring before God.

We may have several situations requiring attention, several people for whom we are praying, and several outcomes we deeply hope to see.

We may ask for guidance in one matter, protection in another, and even a miracle in circumstances that appear impossible.

We do not need to apologize for the seriousness of our requests.

At the same time, prayer does not relieve us of our responsibility to act prudently, make sound decisions, seek appropriate assistance, or do what remains within our power.

Faith and responsible action are not opposing principles.

For me, the value of this novena lies not in the expectation that every difficulty will disappear within nine days, but in the opportunity to bring those difficulties before God with sincerity, perseverance, and trust.

And perhaps that is something worth remembering whenever life presents us with more than one reason to pray.

Saint Jude, faithful Apostle of Jesus Christ and patron of difficult and seemingly hopeless causes, pray for us.

Amen.

Saveta Maria Young

Catholic References

For readers wishing to explore the Church’s teachings further:

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 956 and 2683 — The intercession of the saints.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2611–2613 and 2734–2741 — Prayer, perseverance, and trust in God.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2111 — Superstition and religious practices.

• Vatican Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy — The proper place of private devotions within Catholic life.

• The Roman Catholic General Calendar — October 28, Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles.

This article is intended to share Catholic devotional information and personal reflections. It does not represent an officially approved novena text or replace guidance from a Catholic priest.