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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Smoking	Pat	Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Question: Hi - I have smoked for many years and I think it's time to try to quit, seriously. Is there a saint I can pray to for intercession or this? Or other effective prayers I can say? It seems to have such a hold over me and I struggle very much to break this bad habit. It's a thorn in my life and faith, since I love doing it and dont want to think about giving it up. As I write and now realize, possibily St. Paul? Thank you.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Pat: Blessed Father Damien of Molokai is said to have smoked a pipe, but the reason for this was to mask the smell of leprosy. He worked among the lepers. It is said that Pope Saint Pius X was a cigar smoker. This seems to be in controversy, but he may be one to ask for intercession. Perhaps more appropriate choices would be: St. Maximillian Kolbe, who is the Patron Saint against Drug Addiction. Smoking addiction is an addiction to nicotine, and over 100 other chemicals found in cigarettes. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who's body remains incorrupt, was a pipe smoker. Any Saint who is a Patron against Temptation. Your patron saint (according to your first and/or middle name, or confirmation name). You can search for your Patron saint here. In addition to these Saints is the Spiritual Warfare Prayer we use for addictions: Dear Heavenly Father. You have told us in Your Word that those who set their minds on things of the flesh cannot please God, are hostile to God, and leads to death (Ro. 8:5-8) . I acknowledge that my mind has been set on things of the flesh, in the form of addiction to ______, ______, ______ [drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, gossip, judgmentalism, sex, etc.] that wage war against my soul (1 Pet. 2:11). I have transgressed Your holy law and given the enemy an opportunity to wage war in my members (Eph. 4:27; Ja. 4:1; 1 Pet. 5:8). Indeed You have said that it is better to cut out our if it makes us stumble than to burn in hell (Matt. 5:29-30). I come before Your presence to acknowledge these sins and to seek Your cleansing (1 Jn. 1:9) that I may be freed from the bondage of sin (Gal. 5:1). I thank You that in Christ my sins are forgiven. I now ask You to reveal to my mind the ways that I have brought myself to this addiction and therefore grieved the Holy Spirit. So that I may find healing and freedom I ask You Lord that all ground gained by evil spirits because of my addictions be canceled and taken back and that all bonds and bondages the devil has placed upon me be broken forever (Gal. 5:1). I pray that You will shed light on all my ways that I may know the full extent of my addiction. I claim my body and mind for the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His Name, and with His authority, declare freedom from my addictions of ______, _____, _____ and to all attachments, bondages, and involvements with the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith and by the Sacraments of the Church I have received You into my life and am now seated with Christ in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). I now choose to adopt a spirit of freedom from addictions and a heart given over to You. In the name of Christ Jesus I pray. Amen. Getting over addictions is not easy. It does not "just happen." You will need to work hard with this. From what I understand it only takes a few days for your body to get over the nicotine, but there are many other factors that a cigarette smoker must deal with. My Associate Director, Joe Meineke, was a smoker. I will ask him about effective methods to help a person to stop smoking and post that in this Q&A Forum under the title, "How to Stop Smoking." That should be posted in the next couple of days. We will be praying for you as you struggle against this addiction. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Smoking

Pat

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Question:

Hi - I have smoked for many years and I think it's time to try to quit, seriously. Is there a saint I can pray to for intercession or this? Or other effective prayers I can say? It seems to have such a hold over me and I struggle very much to break this bad habit. It's a thorn in my life and faith, since I love doing it and dont want to think about giving it up. As I write and now realize, possibily St. Paul?

Thank you.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Pat:

Blessed Father Damien of Molokai is said to have smoked a pipe, but the reason for this was to mask the smell of leprosy. He worked among the lepers.

It is said that Pope Saint Pius X was a cigar smoker. This seems to be in controversy, but he may be one to ask for intercession.

Perhaps more appropriate choices would be:

St. Maximillian Kolbe, who is the Patron Saint against Drug Addiction. Smoking addiction is an addiction to nicotine, and over 100 other chemicals found in cigarettes.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who's body remains incorrupt, was a pipe smoker.
Any Saint who is a Patron against Temptation.
Your patron saint (according to your first and/or middle name, or confirmation name). You can search for your Patron saint here.

In addition to these Saints is the Spiritual Warfare Prayer we use for addictions:

Dear Heavenly Father. You have told us in Your Word that those who set their minds on things of the flesh cannot please God, are hostile to God, and leads to death (Ro. 8:5-8) . I acknowledge that my mind has been set on things of the flesh, in the form of addiction to ______, ______, ______ [drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, gossip, judgmentalism, sex, etc.] that wage war against my soul (1 Pet. 2:11). I have transgressed Your holy law and given the enemy an opportunity to wage war in my members (Eph. 4:27; Ja. 4:1; 1 Pet. 5:8). Indeed You have said that it is better to cut out our if it makes us stumble than to burn in hell (Matt. 5:29-30). I come before Your presence to acknowledge these sins and to seek Your cleansing (1 Jn. 1:9) that I may be freed from the bondage of sin (Gal. 5:1). I thank You that in Christ my sins are forgiven. I now ask You to reveal to my mind the ways that I have brought myself to this addiction and therefore grieved the Holy Spirit. So that I may find healing and freedom I ask You Lord that all ground gained by evil spirits because of my addictions be canceled and taken back and that all bonds and bondages the devil has placed upon me be broken forever (Gal. 5:1). I pray that You will shed light on all my ways that I may know the full extent of my addiction. I claim my body and mind for the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His Name, and with His authority, declare freedom from my addictions of ______, _____, _____ and to all attachments, bondages, and involvements with the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith and by the Sacraments of the Church I have received You into my life and am now seated with Christ in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). I now choose to adopt a spirit of freedom from addictions and a heart given over to You. In the name of Christ Jesus I pray. Amen.

Getting over addictions is not easy. It does not "just happen." You will need to work hard with this. From what I understand it only takes a few days for your body to get over the nicotine, but there are many other factors that a cigarette smoker must deal with.

My Associate Director, Joe Meineke, was a smoker. I will ask him about effective methods to help a person to stop smoking and post that in this Q&A Forum under the title, "How to Stop Smoking." That should be posted in the next couple of days.

We will be praying for you as you struggle against this addiction.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.