Every June 26, the “International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking” is commemorated, a date to promote efforts to eradicate the production and sale of drugs, due to their great negative impact.
Pope Francis spoke about this in 2016, recalling that “drugs are a wound in our society” and a “new form of slavery” that scourges “today’s man and society.”
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Today we introduce you to three saints whose lives are distinguished by having helped many people suffering from drug addiction and their families. You can ask them for their intercession if you or a loved one is going through a difficult situation.
1. St. Maximilian Kolbe
Saint Maximilian Kolbe was a conventual Franciscan priest and friar who was born on January 8, 1894 in Poland, and died by lethal injection in a Nazi concentration camp, after volunteering in exchange for another prisoner who was a father.
The saint related that the Virgin appeared to him when he was a child and revealed to him that he would persevere in purity, but that he would be a martyr. Saint Maximilian, a great devotee of the Immaculate Conception, founded a movement to encourage consecration to Mary and the fight to build the Kingdom of God in the world.
He was a missionary in Asia, where he promoted devotion to Mary. During World War II, he was detained by the Nazis, who imprisoned him in the Auschwitz concentration camp (Poland). In this place, the saint dedicated himself to caring for the prisoners and transmitting to them with prayers and songs the faith and consolation of the Virgin Mary.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe is considered the patron saint of prisoners, pro-lifers, and people with drug addictions. Today there are countless charities for people with addictions that bear his name.
2. St. Jude Thaddeus
Saint Jude Thaddeus is one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and died a martyr. The saint preached the Gospel in Judea, Mesopotamia and Persia, where he met Saint Simon, with whom he fought the heresies of Zaroes and Arfexat, two pagan priests who raised up the people against the works of the Apostles.
This Apostle, who was Jesus’ cousin, is one of the most beloved saints in the world for the numerous “favors” granted to the faithful who asked for his intercession, which is why he is known as the “patron of the impossible.”
The National Shrine of Saint Jude, in Chicago (United States), which is administered by the Claretian Missionaries, affirms that the saint is a special intercessor for people with drug addictions and therefore offers this special prayer:
God of life, you made me in your perfect image,
to live in your love and give you glory, honor and praise.
Open my heart to your healing power.
Come, Lord Jesus, calm my soul just as you whispered “peace” to the raging sea.
Saint Jude, most holy Apostle, in my need I approach you.
I beg you to intercede for me,
so that I can find strength to overcome my illness.
Bless all those who struggle with addiction.
Touch them, heal them, remind them of the Father’s constant love.
Stay by my side, Saint Jude, to chase away all bad temptations, fears and doubts. May the quiet security of your loving presence illuminate the darkness of my heart and bring lasting peace. Amen.
3. San Marcos Ji Tianxiang
Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang is a little-known saint from the early 20th century who suffered from an opium addiction until the end of his life. He died a martyr in July 1900 at the hands of a violent anti-colonial and anti-Christian movement in northern China.
The saint used opium to treat a serious stomach ailment, but soon became addicted to the drug. At the time, addiction was not understood as a disease and there were few resources available to help effectively.
After trying unsuccessfully to give up drugs, Saint Mark chose to abstain from receiving the Eucharist for 30 years, but continued to practice the faith, even in the midst of persecution.
In the Boxer Rebellion, Chinese nationalists known as Boxers, or the United Militia in Justice, expelled missionaries and persecuted Christians throughout China. Thirty-two thousand Chinese Christians and 200 foreign missionaries were killed.
The saint and his family were martyred. Saint Mark requested to be beheaded at the end so as not to leave any of his loved ones alone.
The saint has inspired many people in his work to fight drug addiction.
In a interview with CNA – EWTN’s English agency – Dr. Gregory Bottaro, executive director of Catholic Psych Institutededicated to promoting mental health, said San Marcos Ji Tianxiang “gives hope in the most important way for addicts.”
Saint Mark teaches that “even if you are fighting some addictive behavior, your dignity as a human person remains intact and you are destined for greatness,” he highlighted.
“I think history is a beautiful testimony to the goodness and complexity of the human heart. Their struggles can give great hope to people who suffer,” she concluded.
This article was originally published on June 26, 2022. It has been updated for republication.
Cynthia Pérez has been an editor at ACI Prensa since January 2020. She resides in Lima (Peru). She has a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Arts with a mention in Communication for Development from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP). In her career she has dedicated herself to the creation of multimedia content and the design and management of communication in organizations and social impact projects. She is passionate about creating narratives and interactive experiences that build a more humane and sustainable society.