My Daughter Committed Suicide. What Prayer Do I Say So That She Can Go To Heaven?

Share

Please, first of all, accept our deepest condolences. Suicide is always tough for those who are left behind, so please know that we are keeping you and your family in prayer.

Catholics trust in the mercy of God. That is THE central element of our faith and Pope Francis has taken great strides to make sure that it is preached far and wide to the faithful. What we know about suicide from a psychological perspective today, is that it is often not a free choice, most often as a result of depression or other mental illness.

Then we add to our knowledge, what we consider sinful behavior. For something to be a sin, a person must choose to do this sin freely. They must be in control of their own actions. If they are not, then their actions are not sinful, albeit tragic in the case of suicide.

Suffice it to say that the church no longer teaches that those who commit suicide go to hell. Rather, we entrust them to God knowing that God can make all things new again. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read:

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

Since you asked for a prayer, any prayer for the dead would be fine to pray for your daughter. Here is one that I wrote myself recently for those who have committed suicide:

Dearest Lord,
We entrust (name) to your undying mercy and love.
While in this life, they felt much pain and found life difficult.
May you enfold them now with your love where no pain can find them, but rather your love can heal them.
Make them Guardian Angels for those who struggle with life, for those who struggle to see you and the love that is around them.
Give them Lord, kind admittance to your Kingdom and bring comfort to their families.
We ask this, as we ask all things, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Deacon Mike Hayes was ordained for the diocese of Cleveland in 2024 and is assigned to St. Christopher’s Parish in Rocky River, OH. He serves the diocese in multiple roles as Director of Chaplaincy Services, the Bishop’s Delegate for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations and as the Delegate for Active Deacons. He’s also the host of 5 Questions with the Paulists and a frequent host on the Deacon’s Pod as a Paulist Deacon Affiliate. Deacon Mike is one of the founders of Busted Halo and worked with young adults for 25 years in retreat, spiritual direction, and campus Ministry. He’s the author of “Googling God” (Paulist, 2007) and “Loving Work” (Orbis, 2012). Deacon Mike and his wife Marion live in Lakewood, OH with their dog, Vito.

Stay Connected with Busted Halo

Join our community and receive the latest updates, reflections, and resources directly to your inbox.

Voices from the Back Pew

Honest stories from Catholics who question, struggle, or wrestle with faith and Church — reminding us all that no one sits alone in the pews.

More from Deacon Mike Hayes

More from Articles

Like what you see? 

Sign up for the Busted Halo weekly newsletter for more faith shared joyfully (straight to your inbox)

Subscribe

* indicates required

NOTE: We're only sending email messages to people who CHECK THIS BOX. So, if you want to hear from us, go ahead and check the box! Busted Halo will use the information you provide on this form to provide you with content and fundraising updates. Please confirm that you would like to hear from us via email:

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at info@bustedhalo.com. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices.