Can prayers help to change our minds for the better?

Yes. In this episode we read about a young penitent of St Philip's who was close to death. He was only eighteen. He had been asking for prayers to recover. But St Philip knew by a divine revelation that this young man, Gabriele, would not survive. St Philip was very wise. He simply asked Gabriele if he would commit his condition to St Philip's prayers. St Philip then began to pray and a significant change took place in Gabriele's attitude toward death.