# The 15 prayers of Saint Bridget of Sweden
*2017-07-23*

> On the feast of Saint Bridget of Sweden, Bill Young discusses the powerful promises associated with her prayers and offers them for a dear friend battling cancer.

## A Prayer for a Dear Friend

Today is July 23rd, the feast day of Saint Bridget of Sweden. It is a day of prayer, but also a day of sadness for me. I found out yesterday that a former coworker and one of my closest friends, Annette, is facing the return of breast cancer. Annette is a rare person with a heart of gold, humble and loving toward everyone and every animal—especially her Akitas. It is devastating that such a great soul must go through this struggle a second time.

I remember how Jesus promised the apostles that they could heal the sick. In that spirit, I beg and pray for my friend Annette to have a speedy recovery. I know how deeply it hurt Jesus when he lost his friend Lazarus; I plead with the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints to intercede for her. I believe in the will of God, but I ask that this loving soul be spared from further suffering.

## The Promises of Saint Bridget

For those unfamiliar with the prayers of Saint Bridget of Sweden, there are two types: the 12-year prayer and the one-year prayer. The one-year devotion consists of 15 prayers. According to tradition, Saint Bridget wished to know the number of blows Jesus received during His Passion. Our Lord appeared to her and revealed that He received 5,480 blows. He instructed her that if one honors these wounds by reciting 15 Our Fathers and 15 Hail Marys, along with specific prayers, for one whole year, great graces would be granted.

The promises associated with this devotion are profound. It is said that the person who completes the year will receive the release of 15 souls from Purgatory, and 15 sinners will be converted. Furthermore, the devotee is promised a full knowledge of their sins and bitter repentance 15 days before death, the protection of the victorious cross against enemies, and the honor of being received by Jesus and His Mother into eternal joy.

## The 15 Prayers of the Passion

I am committing myself to these prayers starting today, July 23, 2017. These prayers meditate on the specific sufferings of Christ: from the anguish of the Garden and the betrayal by His disciples to the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the agony of the Cross. Each prayer asks for a specific grace—such as true contrition, protection from enemies, and an increase in love for the Lord—based on the corresponding wound or suffering of Jesus.

Throughout these prayers, we reflect on the 'eternal sweetness' of Jesus and His infinite mercy. We recall the moment He forgave His executioners, the sword that pierced the heart of Mary, and the finality of His words, 'It is fulfilled.' By meditating on the precious blood shed from the lance in His side, we ask that our hearts become an eternal home for the Lord.

*Through the powerful intercession of Saint Bridget and the meditation on the Passion, we can find the strength to pray fervently for the healing of others and the salvation of our own souls.*