St. Jude

Due to recent events, I have begun a novena to St. Jude. 9 nights of prayer to the patron of hopeless cases and things almost despaired of. Prior to this week, I knew very little about the life of St. Jude. I didn't know that he was one of the 12, a relative of Jesus, and the one who carried the famous shroud to King Abgar of Edessa at the request of Jesus. He is often referred to as Thaddeus and his brother St. James is another of the original apostles. His first name Jude means "giver of joy" while Thaddeus means "generous and kind."

I wear my St. Jude medal and pray to him and beg his intercession. While I feel most hopeless and alone, I have received an enormous amount of support and encouragement from my prayers to the most holy apostle, Jude. "Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings..."

Whenever I am able to return to Rome, I will most definitely make it a point to visit his tomb beneath St. Peter's Basilica.