Pray to St. Dymphna
Monday, May 26, 2025
*Anthony Pittelli
As we proceed through this Easter season, let’s take a moment to pray for our emotional and physical wellness, as well as for our brothers and sisters.
Are you okay?
Perhaps this simple question can best be answered by replying, “Depends on the day, hour, or moment.” As life today is as stressful as ever.
For victims of domestic violence, however, fear and trauma may cause them to say, “I’m okay, everything is fine.” The truth is that many suffer in silence.
We know from several recent news stories in our local area alone that things are not fine. Many among us are not okay.
Our Catholic faith grants us the beauty of calling upon the angels and saints to intercede for us. For victims of domestic violence, a little-known Irish martyr can be called upon for hope and strength: St. Dymphna.
St. Dymphna, a seventh-century Irish martyr, is gaining recognition as a powerful intercessor in today's high-stress world, despite being less known than saints like St. Patrick or St. Brigid. St. Dymphna was the daughter of a pagan king named Damon and a Christian mother who died tragically when Dymphna was 14. Her deranged father, unable to find a woman as beautiful as his late wife, wanted to marry his daughter Dymphna, who resembled her mother. When she refused, he beheaded her and her priest, Father Gerebran, before fleeing.
Numerous miracles, particularly healings of mental health issues, emotional disturbances, and neurological disorders, have been linked to St. Dymphna’s tomb in Gheel, Belgium, leading to her canonization by Pope Eugenius IV in 1431. Her feast day is celebrated on May 15. Gheel became a place of pilgrimage for people suffering from anxiety and other emotional problems.
As a victim of domestic abuse and trauma who overcame severe anxiety, St. Dymphna is a fitting patron saint for survivors, offering hope and intercession for those battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and despair.
As I tried to make sense of one of the more recent domestic violence incidents reported by local and national media, I couldn’t help but feel a lot of this violence contains an element of spiritual warfare. To me, this uptick in cases feels like the work of the evil one.
Working many nights on our streets, I came to the conclusion years ago that the devil is out there with many demons as backup. Just as people can allow Christ into their hearts, the devil and his demons can enter, as well.
Whether physically violent or emotionally abusive, abusers have no regard for those on the receiving end of their abuse. Victims can feel helpless and hopeless as the abuser carries on, seemingly blinded by dark and negative motivations.
Too often, these situations develop into a tragic conclusion. In many cases, we only hear about what has happened and rarely find out about what’s happening until it’s too late. Victims are afraid to speak out. Even those with vast support systems can become so overwhelmed that they internalize their suffering.
Sometimes victims take all the proper steps according to the extent of the law, and yet, a motivated offender chooses a violent culmination. This can be a real test of spiritual strength, but as Christians, we can’t lose faith in the justice system. We need to advocate for victims and for a just legal evolution.
If you are a victim of domestic violence or know of a potential victim, help is out there. Call upon St. Dymphna to intercede. Pray for strength and courage. Not only are the body and mind under attack, but the spirit suffers as well. The answer lies in Christ, the Holy Mother, all the angels and saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. May fear and anxiety turn to hope and faith. Seek help. Offer help.
Let us pray for the offenders, as well. For them to find light in Christ. That their anger will never reach the point where they resort to violence. That their words become “defusive” instead of abusive. May they repent and be converted before it’s too late.
God bless you all.
Help is available through:
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline, www.thehotline.org, or 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7. Family counseling is available through organizations such as Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, www.ccadm.org.
- To learn more about St. Dymphna and other Catholic saints, you can read Jenny Dubay's article at this link.
