Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, salus ætérna credéntium: exáudi nos pro fámulo tuo infírmo, pro quo misericórdiae tuae implorámus auxílium;
ut, réddita sibi sanitáte, gratiárum tibi in Ecclésia tua réferat actiónes. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.
Almighty and eternal God, the everlasting Salvation of them that believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick servant, N., for whom we implore the aid of Thy pitying mercy,
that, with his bodily health restored, he may give thanks to Thee in Thy church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Most of the prayers in this treasury are said by the person who needs them. This one is not. It is said on behalf of somebody else — and at the place where the name goes, the Ritual simply prints N., waiting for you to fill it in.
It is the collect for the sick of the Roman Ritual, used at the visitation of the sick and in the Mass for the sick. It is very old and very short, and it does something unusual: it asks plainly for recovery. Much of the Church’s praying around sickness turns quickly to resignation, to patience, to preparation for death — all of it right, and all of it present in the Litany for the Sick. This prayer does not go there. It asks that health be given back.
But notice what it asks health for. Not for comfort, not for more years, but so that the one restored may give thanks to Thee in Thy church — that he may be back in his place among the faithful, giving thanks. The recovery is asked for the sake of the thanksgiving that would follow it.
The English here is that of Blessed Be God (Callan and McHugh, 1925). Printings of the Latin vary slightly at one word: some read pro fámulo tuo N., taking the name, others pro fámulo tuo infírmo, “for thy sick servant.” For a woman it becomes pro fámula tua.
Almighty and eternal God, the everlasting Salvation of them that believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick servant, N., for whom we implore the aid of Thy pitying mercy,
that, with his bodily health restored, he may give thanks to Thee in Thy church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, salus ætérna credéntium: exáudi nos pro fámulo tuo infírmo, pro quo misericórdiae tuae implorámus auxílium;
ut, réddita sibi sanitáte, gratiárum tibi in Ecclésia tua réferat actiónes. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.
Almighty and eternal God, the everlasting Salvation of them that believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick servant, N., for whom we implore the aid of Thy pitying mercy,
that, with his bodily health restored, he may give thanks to Thee in Thy church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.