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Lord Jesus Christ,  You have willed that Saint Dymphna should be invoked by thousands of clients as the patroness of nervous and mental disease and have brought about that her interest in these patients should be an inspiration to and an ideal for charity at her great shrine and throughout the world. Grant that, through the prayers of this youthful martyr of purity, those who suffer of nervous and mental illness everywhere on earth may be helped and consoled. I recommend to you in particular ... (Here mention those you wish to pray for).

Be pleased to hear the prayers of Saint Dumphna and of Your Blessed Mother, health of the sick and Comforter of the Afflicted, in behalf of those whom I recommend to the love and compassion of Your Sacred Heart. Give them patience to bear with their affliction and resignation to do Your Divine Will. Give them the consolation they need and especially the cure they so much desire, if it be Your will. May we all serve Your suffering members with a charity which may merit for us the reward of being united forever in Heaven with You, our Divine Head, Who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever, Amen.

O God, we beg You through Your Servant, Saint Dymphna, who sealed with her blood the love she had for you, her Eternal Spouse, to grant relief to those in our midst who suffer from mental afflictions and nervous disorders. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Life of St. Dymphna:

Virgin  and  Martyr

Catholics  for  the  most  part  are  entirely unfamiliar  with  many  of  the  glorious  saints of  Ireland.  One  such  forgotten  or  unknown saint,  who,  on  account  of  her  spotless  virtue and  glorious  martyrdom,  is  sometimes  referred to  as  the  "Lily  of  Eire,”  is  St. Dymphna.

Many  details  of  the  life  of  St.  Dymphna are  lacking,  but  the  outstanding  facts  of  her short  life,  as  well  as  the  many  miracles worked  through  her  intercession  after  her death,  are  well  known.  Her  life  was  written by  a certain  Peter,  a Canon  Regular  of  St. Autbert’s  Church  in  Cambray,  France,  in 1680.  Other  writers  before  him  have  written about  her  and  entertained  almost  tender devotion  toward  her.

Dymphna  was  born  in  the  seventh  century, when  Ireland  was  almost  universally Catholic. Yet, strange  to  say,  her  father, Damon,  a petty  king  or  chieftain  of  Oriel, was  a pagan.  He  was  a man  of  great  wealth and  power,  acquired  by  his  success  in  many wars.  Her  mother  was  also  of  noble  descent, exceptionally  beautiful,  and  a devout  Christian. Dymphna  herself  is  said  to  have  borne a striking  resemblance  to  her  mother  and  to have  inherited  both  her  beauty  and  charm of disposition.  She  was  a most  sweet  and winsome  child.  Every  affection  and  attention was  lavished  on  her  from  birth.  Heaven, too,  favored  her  with  special  graces.

Dymphna  was  fourteen  when  tragedy struck  the  household.  Her  mother  died  and her  father  is  said  to  have  been  afflicted  with a mental  illness,  brought  on  by  his  grief.The  girl  was  entrusted  to  the  care  of  a devout Christian  woman,  who  prepared  her  for Baptism.  Father  Gerebran,  an  old  and venerable  priest,  baptized  her.  He  was  evidently a member  of  the  household  and  later taught  Dymphna  her  letters  along  with  the truths  of  religion.  A bright  and  eager  pupil, she  advanced  rapidly  in  wisdom  and  grace. When  still  very  young,  Dymphna,  like  so many  other  noble  Irish  maidens  before  and after  her,  being  filled  with  a deep  love  for Jesus  Christ,  chose  Him  for  her  Divine Spouse  and  consecrated  her  virginity  to  Him and  to  His  Blessed  Mother  by  a vow  of chastity.

In  a frantic  effort  to  fill  the  void  in  his life  caused  by  the  death  of  his  wife, Dymphna's father  sent  messengers  throughout his  own  and  other  lands  to  find  some woman  of  noble  birth,  resembling  his  beloved wife,  who  would  be  willing  to  marry him.  Their  search  was  fruitless.  Very  likely filled  with  fear  of  punishments,  they  proposed another  plan.  They  directed  the  king’s attention  to  the  remarkable  resemblance  between Dymphna  and  her  mother,  both  in physical  beauty  and  charm  of  disposition, and  suggested  that  he  propose  marriage to  her.

Under  the  stress  of  mental  illness  and passion,  the  king  was  willing  to  follow  this scandalous  proposal.  He  tried  to  persuade Dymphna  by  promises  of  riches  and  flattering words.  But  she  was  filled  with  disgust by  the  persistent  advances  of  her  father,  not only  because  she  saw  the  evil  of  such  a marriage,  but  also  because  she  had  already dedicated  herself  to  a life  of  virginity  and would  have  rejected  marriage  under  any circumstances.

Dymphna  laid  the  matter  before  Father Gerebran  and  upon  his  advice  decided  to flee  from  her  homeland.  He  himself  agreed to  accompany  her,  together  with  two  other friends,  the  court  jester  and  his  wife.  The little  group  hurried  to  the  coast.  Faithful vassals  rowed  them  across  the  mist-laden North  Sea.  They  landed  upon  the  Belgian coast  near  Antwerp.  Fleeing  inland,  the fugitives  made  their  way  to  Gelium  — now Gheel  — where  hospitable  villagers  received the  Celtic  strangers  into  their  homes.  They found  here  a chapel  dedicated  to  St.  Martin of  Tours,  and  decided  to  make  their  home near  it.  Dymphna  soon  made  herself  beloved by  her  tender  care  of  the  sick  and  poor.

Damon,  very  angry  at  the  disappearance of  his  daughter,  immediately  set  out  in search  of  the  fugitives.  They  were  eventually traced  to  Belgium.  When  Dymphna’s  father tried  to  persuade  her  to  return  with  him, Father  Gerebran  rebuked  him  for  his  wicked proposal.  In  order  to  break  down  her  resistance, the  king  gave  orders  that  Father  Gerebran should  be  put  to  death.  Without  delay, his  wicked  retainers  laid  violent  hands  upon the  priest.  With  one  blow  of  a sword  his head  was  severed  from  his  shoulders.

The  death  of  her  beloved  spiritual  guide only  confirmed  Dymphna’s  resolution  to resist  unto  blood, if  needs  be,  herself.  Her father  again  tried  to  persuade  her  to  return to  Ireland  with  him.  This  time  she  not  only refused  but  even  scorned  his  cruel  threats. Infuriated  by  her  resistance,  he  drew  his sword  and  struck  off  the  head  of  his  daughter. She  was  then  only  fifteen  years  of  age. Dymphna  received  the  crown  of  martyrdom between  the  years  620  and  640.

The  records  of  Dymphna’s  life  and  death say  that  the  bodies  of  the  two  martyrs  lay on  the  ground  for  quite  some  time  before the  inhabitants  of  Gheel  removed  them  to a cave.  Some  years  later  a more  suitable place  was  sought.  When  the  working men, assigned  to  the  task,  entered  the  cave and  cleared  away  the  rubble,  they  discovered two  beautifully  sculptured  tombs  of  pure white  stone.  They  opened  Dymphna’s  coffin and  found  lying  over  her  breast  a red  tile bearing  the  inscription:  ‘'Here  lies  the  body of  the  holy  virgin  and  martyr,  Dymphna.” Her  remains  were  placed  in  a small  church of  the  town  and  kept  there  for  many  years.  Source: Saint Dymphna : patron of the nervous and emotionally disturbed. Father Lawrence Lovasik 1953