Jason and Crystalina Evert announced on Christmas Eve that their son, John Paul, was diagnosed with lymphoma. The couple shared the news on social media, requesting prayers for their son. They asked for prayers for John Paul's healing, strength, peace, and courage as he starts cancer treatment. John Paul was scheduled to begin his cancer treatment on the Monday following the announcement.
2 months ago
Jason Evert and his wife Crystalina shared on Christmas Eve that their son John Paul, a recent high-school graduate from the Class of 2025, has been diagnosed with lymphoma.1
They urgently requested prayers for his healing, strength, peace, courage, and guidance for his doctors.1
John Paul began cancer treatment on December 29, 2025.1
Jason posted an update with a photo of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal praying over him at the hospital.1
Jason Evert is a nationally acclaimed chastity speaker, founder of Totus Tuus Press and Chastity Project.1
Crystalina Evert hosts EWTN Radio's "Women Made New," based on her book promoting healing and faith.1
The Instagram post received over 20,000 reactions, with hundreds of comments offering prayers like the Memorare and Rosaries.1
Prominent Catholics, including Father Leo Patalinghug, Leah Darrow, and Jennifer Fulwiler (whose daughter faces brain cancer), voiced support.1
Jason also requested prayers for Paul Kim’s son Micah, who is on life support.1
The article invokes Padre Pio’s prayer for humility, ceaseless prayer, and recognition of Christ in suffering.1
Explore Catholic teachings on prayer for the sick
Catholic teachings on prayer for the sick emphasize a profound integration of faith, sacrament, and community, viewing illness not merely as a physical affliction but as an opportunity for spiritual healing, union with Christ's suffering, and anticipation of eternal life. Rooted in Scripture, the Church encourages fervent prayer for bodily and spiritual restoration while always submitting to God's will, as exemplified in the Anointing of the Sick and liturgical traditions. This prayer is both individual and communal, fostering charity and hope amid suffering.
The Bible provides the cornerstone for Catholic prayer for the sick, particularly in the Letter of James, which instructs: "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (Jas 5:14-15). This passage underscores the efficacy of faith-filled prayer combined with sacramental anointing, promising salvation, elevation from illness, and forgiveness of sins.
Jesus Himself modeled and commanded healing prayer, sending His disciples to "Heal the sick!" (Mt 10:8), affirming His presence as the physician of souls and bodies. The Gospels portray countless instances where the sick approached Christ directly or through others, with no reproach for their pleas—only occasional gentle correction for faltering faith, as in "If you can! Everything is possible to one who has faith" (Mk 9:23). Psalms and Sirach further exhort prayer amid illness: "My son, when you are ill, delay not, but pray to God, who will heal you" (Sir 38:9). These texts frame sickness within God's providential plan, where prayer combats disease while seeking deeper union with Him.
Central to Catholic practice is the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, through which "the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them," exhorting the sick to unite freely with Christ's Passion. The rite invokes healing in body, soul, and spirit: "Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it; heal them in body, in soul, and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction."
This sacrament, a pledge of the resurrection, proclaims the end of death and pain (Rev 21:4) while requesting restoration of health to enhance grace and union with God. It extends Christ's healing ministry, with priests acting in His person through prayer and oil blessed for this purpose. The Church has celebrated it continuously, commending the ill to the Lord for upliftment and salvation.
The Church's liturgy richly supports prayer for the sick, from the Roman Missal's Mass pro infirmis to blessings for the infirm and oils. Post-Communion prayers seek the heavenly gift's power for "minds and bodies," while Good Friday intercessions ask God to "keep diseases away... and grant health to the sick." Eastern rites echo this, invoking Christ to "cure every sickness and to free us from death" and grant "health of spirit and body."
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith affirms that desiring healing through prayer is "good and deeply human," especially when trusting God, and does not exclude natural remedies but encourages them alongside care for the sick. The Church prays not only for soul but body, as St. Augustine taught: "We need to pray that these are retained, when we have them, and that they are increased, when we do not have them." Yet, prayer meetings for healing require discernment to align with liturgy, avoiding excesses while promoting authentic faith.
Faith is pivotal: "the prayer of faith will save the sick man." Popes have highlighted communal responsibility. Pope Francis urges constant prayer for loved ones, drawing from the Canaanite woman's persistent plea for her daughter, which Jesus rewarded: "Woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire" (Mt 15:28). Families must pray more, personally and communally, helping the sick without gossip but with closeness and comfort.
Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the sick's active role in "calling" priests, forging a "covenant of evangelical 'complicity'" where both provoke Christ's action. Priests respond, bringing the Risen Lord's presence, benefiting the sick, families, and the Church universally. Healing encompasses integral salvation of soul and body, measuring humanity's true stature. Pope John Paul II echoed this holistic view, with anointing strengthening soul and body while removing sin's remnants.
These teachings resonate today, where prayer meetings proliferate alongside claimed healings. The Church guides the faithful to integrate prayer with medicine, viewing sickness as union with Christ, purification, and charity's exercise. The Eucharist, "the bread that gives eternal life," particularly sustains the sick, linking bodily health to spiritual vitality.
In summary, Catholic prayer for the sick flows from Christ's command, Scripture's mandate, and the Church's sacramental life, blending hope for healing with submission to God's will. It unites believers in faith, fostering communal support and eternal perspective amid trials. Through persistent, trusting prayer—individual, familial, and liturgical—the Church proclaims God's healing power, raising the sick toward resurrection hope.