ST. JUDE THADDAEUS

Feastday: October 28

Patron of Desperate Cases

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St.James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. St. Jude was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus.

Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned toJerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at theelection of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.

He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia. The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the third century of our era.

Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. Little else is known of his life. Legend claims that he visitedBeirut and Edessa; possibly martyred with St. Simonin Persia.

Jude is invoked in desperate situations because hisNew Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them. Therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases and his feast day is October 28.Saint Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariotwho betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin and lack of trust in God's mercy.

PRAYER

(When your down and out, this is a prayer to Saint Jude for you)

"O most holy apostle, SAINT JUDE, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honoureth and invoketh thee universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, and of things almost despaired of. PRAY FOR ME, who am so miserable. Make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded to thee, to bring visible and speedy help where help was almost despaired of. Come to mine assistance in this great need, that I may receive the consolation and succor of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with thee and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise thee, O blessed Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favour, to always honour thee as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to thee.There are many reasons to say this St Jude Prayer, but most pray to St Jude in order to receive some sort of miracle or blessing. You should personalize your prayer to ask for what you need.Amen."

WHY PRAY TO SAINT JUDE

Reasons to pray to St Jude:

• Pray for prosperity.
• Pray for employment.
• Pray for health.
• Pray for happiness.
• Pray for love.
• Pray for money.