Does anyone know if there is a patron saint for people trying to break a bad habit? My husband is going to try to stop smoking AGAIN. I would like to do a Novena for him so maybe he will be successful this time.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Peace,
Deanna
St Benedict jumped in a briar bush when he was tempted by sins of the flesh, so I guess smoking would count, he was also saved miraculously from attempts to poison him, and nictotine is one of the world’s deadliest poisons. Or how about St Lawrence who was martyred on a gridiron, or St. Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake.
Ask for the intercession of St. Augustine. He is the patron Saint of Brewers, due to his wild past his intercession is also asked for to break vices.
Peace of Christ be with you!
In lieu of a saint for a specific cause, pray to the patron of the person for whom you are praying. At baptism we all received a patron.
I wish I could…but unfortunately, my husband is not Catholic! 
Would Augustine be the patron saint of converts?
Peace,
Deanna
What is your husband’s name? If he has any common name, like John or Robert, then there are numerous saints who share his name and can be considered as his patron saints. If your Husband has a less usual name like Dweezil or Beavis, then your husband has a shot at becoming the first canonized saint by that name.
As for a patron saint for smokers, may I suggest Blessed Father Damien of Molokai? He smoked a pipe, as the tobacco smell helped mask the bad smells associated with leprosy. You might also ask for the intercession of St Maximilian Kolbe, who while not a smoker himself only had a small portion of normal lung function due to tuberculosis, so he would certainly sympathize with smokers struggling to quit.
Check out the nearly exhaustive Patron Saints Index, where you can search by topic or person’s name.
Here is the entry for smokers:
catholic-forum.com/saints/psq00008.htm
God bless.
Lily628
Ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for you and ask for his healing.
Worked for me four months ago.
=)
Kat
against temptations
Although this is an old thread, it came up near the top of a Google search. I knew Ask the Apologist at one time had an answer that wasn’t offered above, so I looked it up:
Its possible that Dorothy Day might help. Not yet a saint, but maybe with your prayers…
Like many Catholics, when Lent rolled around each year, peace activist Dorothy Day tried to give something up. A heavy smoker, her day began with a cigarette, and it was followed by many others throughout the day.
But during Lent, she tried to give up that habit. And it was hard-both on her and on the people around her.
Giving up cigarettes made her irritable, and many of her coworkers secretly prayed she would light up.
One day, Dorothy’s confessor suggested that instead of giving up cigarettes that Lent, why not pray each day, “Dear God, help me stop smoking.”
Dorothy agreed and continued to pray that prayer each day during Lent, and for several more years, before reaching for her pack of cigarettes each morning.
One morning, she woke up, reached for her cigarettes…and didn’t want them.
She never smoked again.
Hope this helps you.