This prayer for a friend asks Jesus for faith, healing, protection, and peace for someone you love. Bring your friend’s name and needs to him as you pray.

Prayer for a Friend

Lord Jesus Christ, I bring my friend before you. You know their name, their hopes, and the burdens they find hard to share. Thank you for the good you have brought into my life through this friendship.

Be near to my friend today. Give them light when a decision is difficult, courage when they are afraid, and peace when worry will not leave them alone. Protect them from harm and from choices that draw them away from you.

If my friend is sick, I ask for healing according to your holy will. Guide those who care for them, ease their pain, and sustain them through waiting and uncertainty. If they are lonely or grieving, bring them faithful company and the comfort of your presence.

Strengthen their faith. Help them receive your mercy, return to prayer when they have grown distant, and recognize the love you offer them. Provide for their daily needs and give them hope for the day ahead.

Teach me to be a faithful friend: to listen without rushing, to speak honestly with kindness, and to remember them in prayer. Forgive the times I have been careless with their trust. Where there is hurt between us, help us seek what is true and good.

I entrust my friend to your loving care. Draw us both closer to you and lead us, with all whom we love, into eternal life. Amen.

The Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

An original prayer prepared for this page, followed by the traditional Our Father.

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, Henryk Siemiradzki. State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg. Public domain. Image record.

How Do I Pray for a Friend?

Begin with your friend’s name and tell God what they need today. You can use the prayer above, speak in your own words, or pray the Our Father with that person in mind. You do not need to know every detail of their trouble before you can pray for them.

The Catechism calls this intercession: asking God’s help for another person (CCC 2634–2635). Think of one concrete intention—a medical appointment, a difficult conversation, the search for work, or the grace to return to the sacraments. Bring that need to the Father through Jesus, and leave room for God’s wisdom.

What Is a Short Prayer for a Friend?

You can pray these simple words: “Jesus, hold my friend close to you today. Give them courage, peace, and the grace they need. Amen.” This is an original short prayer. Return to it while traveling, before Mass, or when your friend’s name comes to mind.

The traditional Our Father printed above is especially fitting because Jesus taught us to pray as children of one Father. Its petitions include the needs of others as well as our own: daily bread, forgiveness, help against temptation, and deliverance from evil (Matthew 6:9–13).

How Do I Pray for Healing for a Friend?

Ask plainly for your friend’s healing, for relief from suffering, and for strength during treatment or recovery. You can also pray for the people caring for them and for peace during the waiting. Our Prayer for the Sick and Prayer for Healing offers a fuller prayer for this intention.

Catholic prayer holds together a confident request for healing and trust in God’s will. The Church teaches that even fervent prayer does not always bring the cure we seek (CCC 1508). Continuing illness is no reason to conclude that your friend—or the person praying—has failed to believe enough.

Can I Pray for a Friend Who Does Not Believe in God?

Yes. You may ask God to bless a friend who does not believe, who is questioning the faith, or who has stopped praying. Pray for their real needs and for the grace to know and love God. Intercession can include everyone, including people whose beliefs differ from ours (CCC 2635).

The Gospel shows Jesus’ love for his friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (John 11:5). Bring your own friend to him with that same confidence. If your friend faces a long trial, our Catholic Prayers in Times of Trouble offer another way to pray for courage and endurance.

When Should I Pray for My Friend?

Pray whenever your friend comes to mind, and choose a regular moment if you want to remember them each day. You might:

Name your friend before your morning prayer.
Offer an Our Father before their appointment or difficult day.
Thank God for one gift in their life.
Return to the same intention without demanding a particular timetable.

You are welcome to share your friend’s intention in the prayer-request form below. There is no charge to send a prayer request.

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Submit a Prayer Request

Please know that every prayer request shared here is kept strictly confidential. Your request will go to the Brothers, who will intercede for you. We will place your intentions before our Eucharistic King during our daily hours of adoration.

Prayer for a Friend