St. Jude Novena FAQ: Common Questions Answered
What is the Saint Jude Novena?
It is nine days of prayer, asking Saint Jude, one of the twelve apostles, to pray with you for something that feels hopeless. You pray the novena prayer once a day for nine days in a row.
How long does it take?
Five or ten minutes a day. The short Sacred Heart version takes less than a minute, prayed nine times a day.
Do I have to be Catholic?
No. This is a Catholic prayer and a Catholic tradition, but nobody is turned away from praying it. If you are hurting, you are welcome.
What if I miss a day?
Just pick it back up. Some people start over, some carry on where they left off. God is not keeping score.
Do I really have to publish my thanks?
The prayer ends with a promise to "gratefully encourage devotion" to Saint Jude. For a long time people kept that promise with small notices in the newspaper. Sharing your story is the same promise kept in a new way, and it gives hope to someone else. Tell someone what God has done for you, and pass the novena on to a friend who needs it.
Do I have to make copies of the prayer or leave them in church?
No. You may have seen papers telling you to make dozens of copies, leave some in church every day and expect your answer by a certain date. That is not part of the novena, and the Church warns against it as superstition. A novena is not a formula that forces a result. It is nine days of trusting prayer, and God answers in His own way and time. Pray, give thanks and share the novena freely. That is all the promise asks.
What if my prayer isn't answered the way I hoped?
That happens, and it hurts. I won't pretend otherwise. Many people find that the answer came as peace, or strength, or help from a direction they never saw coming. You can pray the novena again, and you can ask the people you trust to pray with you.
Can I pray it for someone else?
Yes, and many people do: for a sick child, a husband or wife, a friend who has lost their way.
Is there a best time to pray it?
Any day is the right day. Many people pray it in the nine days before Saint Jude's feast on October 28, but there is no reason to wait.
Is this site run by the Church?
No. It is an independent site, built by one Catholic who prayed this novena and wanted to share it. It is not connected to any church, shrine or organization, and it will never ask you for money.
I'm in crisis right now. What should I do?
Please call or text 988, or your local emergency number. Asking for help is not a lack of faith.