The Objective of this Year for Priests

"The objective of this Year for Priests...

is to support the struggle of every priest 'toward spiritual perfection,

on which the effectiveness of his ministry primarily depends.'

It is to help priests first of all

--and with them all of God's people--

to rediscover and reinvigorate their awareness

of the extraordinary and indispensable gift of grace

that the ordained ministry is

for he who receives it,

for the whole Church,

and for the world,

which would be lost without the real presence of Christ."

~Pope Benedict XVI~

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"There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood,

just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist."

~Pope John Paul II~

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Saint Faustina, Priests, and Divine Mercy

To Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, Jesus appealed for Eucharistic adoration in these words,

"Adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy."

Jesus also stressed the importance of praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and of priests proclaiming His mercy.

"Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation."

"Tell My priests that hardened sinners will repent on hearing their words, when they speak about My unfathomable mercy, about the compassion I have for them in My Heart. To priests who will proclaim and extol My mercy, I will give wondrous power, and I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those to whom they will speak."

"I desire that priests proclaim this great mercy of Mine toward souls of sinners. Let the sinner not be afraid to approach Me. The flames of mercy are burning Me--clamoring to be spent. I want to pour them out upon these souls."

Divine Mercy Chaplet and prayers here.

Lord, thank You for Your mercy!

Please draw all souls to Your merciful Eucharistic Heart!

Have mercy on priests and on the whole world!

Pope John Paul II had this to say about praying for God's mercy:

"...at no time...especially at a moment as critical as our own--can the Church forget the prayer that is a cry for the mercy of God...the Church has the right and duty to appeal to the God of mercy 'with loud cries' " (Rich in Mercy, 15).

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Precious Blood of Jesus Prayers for Priests

Eternal Father,

I offer Thee the merits of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

for the sanctification of priests.

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The Precious Blood of Jesus would be a powerful offering for priests. In the words of Blessed Pope John XXIII,

"Unlimited is the effectiveness of the God-Man's Blood--just as unlimited as the love that impelled Him to pour it out for us...

"You know well enough that your ransom was not paid in earthly currency, silver or gold; it was paid in the Precious Blood of Christ; no lamb was ever so pure, so spotless a victim...God wants all men to be saved, for He has willed that they should all be ransomed by the Blood of His only-begotten Son; He calls them all to be members of the one Mystical Body whose head is Christ. If only men would be more responsive to the promptings of His grace, how much the bonds of brotherly love among individuals and peoples and nations would be strengthened. Life in society would be so much more peaceable, so much worthier of God and the human nature created in His image and likeness."

Prayer for Priests and Those Destined for the Priesthood.

This beautiful prayer of St. Catherine of Siena, O.P. could be adapted to include specific mention of priests.

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Precious Blood,

Ocean of Divine Mercy,

Flow upon us!

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Precious Blood,

Most Pure Offering,

Procure us every grace!

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Precious Blood,

Hope and Refuge of sinners,

Atone for us!

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Precious Blood,

Delight of the Holy Souls,

Draw us!

Amen.

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Pope Benedict recently said,

"It is written in Genesis that the blood of Abel killed by his brother Cain calls to God from the earth. Unfortunately, today as yesterday, this cry has not ceased as human blood continues to flow because of violence, injustice and hatred. When will men learn that life is sacred and belongs only to God? When will they understand that we are all brothers? To the cry for spilt blood which rises from so many parts of the earth, God responds with the Blood of His Son Who gave His life for us. Christ did not respond to evil with evil, but with good, with His infinite love.

The Blood of Christ is the pledge of God's faithful love for humankind. By gazing at the wounds of the crucified Christ each man, even in conditions of abject moral poverty, can say: 'God has not abandoned me, He loves me, He gave His life for me', and thus rediscover hope."

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of his Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

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Brother Lawrence Lew, O.P. comments on his above photograph here.

The Beautiful Hands of a Priest

The following poem by an unknown author reminds us of all the ways that we depend on priests in important moments of our lives.

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THE BEAUTIFUL HANDS OF A PRIEST

We need them in life's early morning,

We need them again at its close;

We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,

We seek them when tasting life's woes.

When we come into this world we are sinful,

The greatest as well as the least,

And the hands that make us pure as angels

Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

At the altar each day we behold them,

And the hands of a king on his throne

Are not equal to them in their greatness,

Their dignity stands all alone.

For there in the stillness of morning

Ere the sun has emerged from the East,

There God rests between the pure fingers

Of the beautiful hands of a priest.

When we are tempted and wander

To pathways of shame and of sin.

'Tis the hand of a priest that absolves us,

Not once, but again and again.

And when we are taking life's partner,

Other hands may prepare us a feast,

But the hands that will bless and unite us

Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

God bless them and keep them all holy,

For the Host which their fingers caress.

What can a poor sinner do better

Than ask Him, who chose them, to bless?

When death's dews on our eyelids are falling,

May our courage and strength be increased

By seeing raised o'er us in blessing

The beautiful hands of a priest.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Be Attentive to the Holy Spirit

If you feel inspired to do something spiritually beneficial for God's priests, don't let discouragement or fear stop you--they are two of the greatest weapons that the prince of darkness uses against us! He and his cohorts are always around to discourage us from any expression of love for God and neighbor. He uses our inclination toward pride in hopes of immobilizing us--our fear of failure, fear of looking foolish or inept in the eyes of others, fear of criticism, fear of unfavorable comparisons to others who are more gifted. What does it matter how gifted we are as long as we are as gifted as God wants us to be!

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There will always be someone who can do IT better than you whether it is leadership, writing, speaking, thinking, praying, etc., but no one can do it exactly like you. God made you who you are because He loves YOU and has given you the gifts you need to do what He wants of you. Thank God for the gifts He has given you and the ways He wants to use YOU! The important thing is to be attentive to what the Holy Spirit is asking of you and to do it to the best of your ability--as limited as that might be--and leave the results to Him.

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I admit that not so very long ago I did not even know what a blog was. I am a novice on the computer, not knowing much and learning as I go. That explains any lack of technical skills you might notice. I had to call for help to learn how to embed a video and how to highlight a link in the text without showing the whole long url address. When you see *** or +++ between paragraphs or lines, it is not because of some notion of style, but because I had problems with the spacing on the post not appearing where it should (and too busy to read all the blog helps to see how to correct it).

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I have much to learn, but I am confident that I will be able to learn what God considers important for me to know. If I had waited until I knew what I was doing--I still wouldn't have started; and before I knew it the Year of the Priest would be over, and I would not have followed the inspiration to start this blog. I am not someone who has ever kept a diary or journal and is naturally inclined to write. I depend every day on the Holy Spirit to inspire me.

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A beginning blogger might unwisely become discouraged after checking out some of the other Catholic blogs whose authors are much more knowledgeable, eloquent, computer savvy, and experienced. However, I am in absolute awe at what the Holy Spirit is doing through them--and also overjoyed! It is an encouraging and hopeful sign for the Church!

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As part of the mystical body of Christ, with Jesus as our head, we all benefit from the healthy spirituality of other members and from all of the good that they do. We should rejoice and thank God when others are spiritually enriching the mystical body of Christ!

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For many years I have been inspired to pray for priests. God has impressed upon me the great need to support and shield them with all of the spiritual means at our disposal. Because He gives me no rest on this issue, I want to share this urgency with others, but am usually able to share it with so few. This blog gives me the opportunity to reach out with an appeal on behalf of priests to all my brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world who might be led by the Holy Spirit to read it.

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I think most Catholics love and appreciate their priests, but think of them as providers and nurturers--spiritual Fathers providing for our needs. They often will do many things to support priests in temporal matters, but don't think of their spiritual needs, considering them to be stronger, more faithful, less tempted because of the graces of their vocation.

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The Holy Spirit has inspired the Congregation for the Clergy to ask for Eucharistic Adoration and Spiritual Motherhood for Priests (December 8, 2007), and has inspired the Holy Father to declare a Year of the Priest (June 19, 2009-June 19, 2010). It is obvious that He is asking us to spiritually uplift our Catholic priests. THEY NEED OUR HELP! He is asking it of all Catholics, including priests who are called to spiritually support their brother priests.

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With more than a billion Catholics in the world, if each of us who are able to do SOMETHING would offer spiritual gifts for priests DAILY, the benefits could be immense for priests, the Church, for Catholics, and for all the people of the world!

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I suggest that you pray and ask God what He wants YOU to do for His priests. Sincerely seek His enlightenment, if you haven't already. Some are called to do more than others, but most of us are called to do SOMETHING--and best if it is done DAILY because then it becomes a good habit. I encourage you to begin today to offer your spiritual gift for priests, if you haven't already started. Don't put off what you can do today. The prince of darkness loves it when we procrastinate and opportunities to do good are wasted!

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Splinters From the Cross, Offerings for Priests

If you are a Catholic, have you ever thought of what the world would be like without priests? There would be no Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, no Holy Communion, no Blessed Sacrament reserved in church tabernacles for the sick and for the dying, and no opportunities for Eucharistic adoration. Pope John Paul II once said,

"There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood,

just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist."

There are more than a billion Catholics in the world to be ministered to by less than 500,00 priests. The priests have said "yes" to God's call to the priesthood and to all of the responsibilities and sacrifices involved in their vocation as other Christs and shepherds of souls.

If you love Jesus in the Eucharist and appreciate our Catholic priests, one way to express that love and appreciation could be to offer up some or all of your little daily splinters from the cross for the sanctification of all priests and for more vocations to the priesthood.

SPLINTERS FROM THE CROSS

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Little headaches, little heartaches,

Little griefs of every day,

Little trials and vexations,

How they throng around our way!

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One great cross, imense and heavy,

So it seems to our weak will,

Might be borne with resignation,

But these many small ones kill.

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Yet all of life is formed of small things,

Little leaves make up the trees,

Many tiny drops of water

Blending, make up the mighty seas.

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Let us not then by impatience

Mar the beauty of the whole,

But for love of Jesus bear all

In the silence of our soul,

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Asking Him for grace sufficient

To sustain us through each loss,

And to treasure each small offering

As a splinter from the Cross.

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Saint Padre Pio

Saint Padre Pio, beloved modern day Saint, died in 1968 after suffering the wounds of Christ (the stigmata) for fifty years. People who were blessed to attend one of his Masses said it was an unforgettable experience. His Masses lasted more than two hours, but native Italians and pilgrims from other countries came by the thousands. In speaking of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, St. Pio said,

"Go with your mind to Calvary and think and meditate on the Victim who offers Himself to divine justice, absorbing the price of your redemption."

"While assisting at Holy Mass renew your faith. Have your mind elevated to the mystery that is happening before your eyes."

He never sought fame, but he became famous. He only sought to be close to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He was a Eucharistic soul, in love with Jesus in the Eucharist. Father Anthony Cipolla has written here about the Eucharist in the life of St. Padre Pio.

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Saint Padre Pio, pray for priests and pray for us!

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests.Amen.

Servant of God, Francis J. Parater

The majority of Catholic priests in America (and in the world) are faithful to their commitment to God, leading quiet lives of service known only to the flocks they shepherd. They all started out as seminarians, taking that giant leap of love for God. One such seminarian was Frank Parater.

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I would guess that most Americans have never heard of Servant of God, Frank Parater (1898-1920). He was a seminarian for the diocese of Richmond, Virginia. He had a desire since childhood to die for God and neighbor--definitely not an ordinary boy! In late January, 1920, he developed rheumatic fever while studying for the priesthood in Rome at the Pontifical North American College.

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Although gravely ill, when he was given the Last Rites he wanted to get out of bed and kneel on the floor to receive Holy Communion. When that was not possible, he knelt on the bed to receive Jesus for the last time. He died February 7, 1920 at the age of 22.

After his death, an Act of Oblation to the Sacred Heart was discovered in which he offered his life for the conversion of the people of his state of Virginia (written in December, 1919 when he was in good health). In 2002, Bishop Walter Sullivan of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond opened his cause for beatification and canonization.

A Prayer for Servant of God Frank Parater's intercession and more information from the Diocese of Richmond are here.

During this Year of the Priest, I hope to occasionally spotlight American priests (or seminarians) whose causes for beatification and canonization have been introduced. I feel it is important to focus on the exceptional dedication and known holiness of some of our American priests. There are also countless holy priests who will never be recognized in this way by the Church. We have much to thank God for in our priests.

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Eucharistic Devotion, Root of Holiness

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI,

encourages devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist

with the following words

written in the conclusion of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation

Sacramentum Caritatis:

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Dear brothers and sisters, the Eucharist is at the root of every form of holiness, and each of us is called to the fullness of life in the Holy Spirit. How many saints have advanced along the way of perfection thanks to their Eucharistic devotion!

...holiness has always found its centre in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

This most holy mystery thus needs to be firmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived in the Church.

The celebration and worship of the Eucharist enable us to draw near to God's love and to persevere in that love until we are united with the Lord whom we love.

True joy is found in recognizing that the Lord is still with us, our faithful companion along the way.

Let us encourage one another to walk joyfully, our hearts filled with wonder, towards our encounter with the Holy Eucharist, so that we may experience and proclaim to others the truth of the words with which Jesus took leave of his disciples: "Lo, I am with you always, until the end of the world" (Mt 28:20).

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PRAYER BEFORE JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST FOR OUR CATHOLIC PRIESTS IS THE VERY DEVOTION THAT WILL HELP US TO BE HOLY! HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY LOSE? WE GET TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH JESUS, HELPING NOT ONLY OUR PRIESTS, BUT ALSO OURSELVES TO BECOME HOLIER!

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, Foundress of Works of the Cross

Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, "Conchita",

wife,mother,and grandmother,

was also called by Our Lord to spiritual motherhood for priests.

If you have not yet been introduced to her spirituality,

this Year of the Priest

would be a good time to get to know her

and reflect on Our Lord's words to her.

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Jesus said to Venerable "Conchita",

"Offer yourself as a victim for My priests.

Unite yourself to My sacrifice for gaining them graces."

(Conchita A Mother's Spiritual Diary)

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A source for Venerable "Conchita's books is here.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

The Sacrifice of Jesus Continues

Jesus suffered and died for us. His sacrifice was more than anyone else has ever done for us, or ever will. He loves us so much that He remains with us in the Eucharist. To Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, Jesus said,

"...I let Myself be seen crucified at Calvary whereas in the Eucharist I am hidden, but that does not mean I am any less present."

"...I was crucified first in the Eucharist, giving Myself to mankind in a profound immolation, before mankind crucified Me on the material Cross...I was willingly nailed to the Eucharist before the material Cross, binding Myself there with the greatest love..."

"The Eucharist is your Jesus, but your Jesus on the Cross, because the Eucharist is My mystical Cross where I separate My Body and My Blood as I did on Calvary, always for the salvation of an ungrateful mankind. I have been crucified for centuries for man in the Eucharist, and yet I was only materially crucified for him for a few hours. My Passion has not yet finished, because sin has not yet come to an end, and for as long as there is sin in man there will be sacrifice in Jesus."

(Quotes from Irresistibly Drawn to the Eucharist.)

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

The Greatest World War

There is a war going on throughout the entire world--the worst of wars with more casualties than in all the other wars combined. The wounded and the lost are uncountable, but that doesn't lessen the reality of the disastrous toll.

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Most people are unaware of this war because the enemy is hidden. All people of all nations are affected by this war, waged against us by a common enemy. We are all united in this at least--we have an enemy who seeks to destroy all of us who live on the face of the earth.

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Our enemy worms himself into minds and hearts to influence thoughts and actions. HE IS MERCILESS! No one is exempt from his hateful trickery. His intelligence is so great that he can easily outmaneuver us, unless we are sufficiently armed for battle. His pride and deceit know no bounds, and he infiltrates where there is the least opening.

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Our enemy sows hate, discord, lies, discouragement, and confusion wherever he can. He exults in loss of faith, failed marriages, broken homes, ruined lives, aborted lives, national disharmony, and international warfare. He is bold and relentless, determined to be the victor in the final analysis of this long war.

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Anyone that sows hope, love, and faith in Jesus Christ is his enemy. Acts of love and mercy are hateful to him. Prayer, fasting, penance, and mortification are powerful weapons against him, so he does all in his power to discourage the use of them.

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WHAT OUR ENEMY FEARS MOST is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross is made present again. He knows better than we do the infinite power of the Mass. Jesus died once on the Cross, but arranged it so that His sacrifice for our redemption would be made present over and over again through His ordained Catholic priests.

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Saint John Vianney, patron of priests, had this to say: "When people wish to destroy religion, they begin by attacking the priest, because where there is no longer any priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no longer any sacrifice there is no religion."

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Even if many don't believe what the Catholic Church teaches about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, our common enemy believes! He knows the truth. That is why he does all in his power to discourage attendance at Mass, worthy reception of Holy Communion, and Eucharistic adoration. He promotes lack of faith in the Eucharist, irreverence toward Jesus in the Eucharist, unworthy reception of Holy Communion, and desecration of the Eucharist.

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The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and our Mother, had this to say to Venerable Mary of Agreda about our common enemy:

"Lucifer and his demons have such a fear of the Holy Eucharist, that to approach it causes them more torments than to remain in hell itself. Although they do enter churches in order to tempt souls, they enter with aversion, forcing themselves to endure cruel pains in the hope of destroying a soul and drawing it into sin, especially in the holy places and in the presence of the Holy Eucharist. Their wrath against the Lord and against the souls alone could induce them to expose themselves to the torment of His Real Sacramental Presence."

Our Blessed Mother also said:

"...the demons fear the souls who receive the Lord worthily and devoutly and who try to preserve themselves in this purity until the next Communion. But there are very few who live with this intention, and the enemy is ceaselessly alert in striving to throw them back into their forgetfulness, distraction and indifference, so that he may not be obliged to encounter such powerful weapons in the hands of men."

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The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist means that Jesus stays with us as He promised! When He said, "...behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world (Matthew 28:20)--He meant what He said! If some misunderstand His meaning, that does not lessen the truth of what he meant. He is with us to arm us for battle--to spiritually nourish us, transform us, strengthen us, protect us! We are at war, but our Savior is here to lead us on to victory--if we faithfully follow Him!

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother,help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Blessed Mother Leads Us To Jesus

When the Holy Father, political leaders, celebrities, or sports stars visit an area, many people will exert great effort to get tickets or jockey for a position close to them at an event. Some will even camp out overnight to reserve a place in line to get tickets or best choice of seats.

Sadly, there is not the same rush of enthusiasm for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. It's true that His Real Presence in the Eucharist is a mystery that we cannot understand and requires the gift of faith, but even among practicing Catholics Jesus is too often neglected outside of Mass times.

To my deepest regret, I admit that I was one of those Catholics. I faithfully attended Sunday Mass, but I regret the years that I could have attended daily Mass (or at least extra weekday Masses) and didn't. I regret the missed Holy Communions. I regret the missed opportunities to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. God had provided well for me through the ministry of his Catholic priests, but I didn't take advantage of His generosity.

Even though I was neglecting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I did not abandon prayer. I always prayed for more faith. Thanks be to God, I realized I was lacking in faith (though not even sure in what ways), so never stopped praying for the gift that only God can give.

When God was ready to answer my prayer, He did it in a big way; and He did it through the Blessed Mother. I discovered a long forgotten booklet in my nightstand on the message of Our Lady of Fatima. After reading it, I was struck with remorse because of my neglect of praying our Blessed Mother's Rosary as she had repeatedly requested. This experience happened right before the month of May, so I promised her that I would attend Mass every day and faithfully pray the Rosary during that month specially dedicated to her. The first day of May I just got up and went to Mass without telling my sleeping husband I was leaving. Later, when he learned where I had been, he said he would have gone with me if he'd known. The rest of the month he went to Mass with me. When the month was ended, we easily decided that we felt so good about attending daily Mass that we would continue. That was in 1984, 25 years ago, thanks be to God and our Blessed Mother!

I don't know why God didn't answer my prayer sooner. I could have given Him more years of weekday Masses, Eucharistic adoration, and faithful attention to His Mother and ours. All I know is, I am grateful that He finally awakened in me an ardent love for Him in the Eucharist and attentive, loving loyalty to our Blessed Mother.

A prayer that I prayed from my youth is:

My Queen, my Mother, I give myself entirely to you,

and to show my devotion to you,

I consecrate to you this day

my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve.

Therefore, good Mother, as I am your own,

keep me, guard me as your property and possession.

Even though I was at times a neglectful daughter, she was always the best of mothers! She answered my prayers and guarded my faith. Even if you are not a Catholic or have reservations about praying to her, go to your Blessed Mother (Jesus gave her to you too!) for all your needs. You won't regret it! She is the surest pathway to the Heart of Jesus!

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Photograph by Brother Lawrence Lew, O.P.

Year of the Priest Suggestions

On Father Mark Kirby's Vultus Christi site are ten good suggestions on the topic of "What can I do for the Year of the Priest ?". If you scroll the sidebar under Categories, you'll also find posts on: Cenacle of the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, Year of the Priest, Thursdays of Adoration and Reparation for Priests, and Spiritual Motherhood for Priests-- all great inspirational reading for this Year of the Priest!

Bishop Edward J. Slattery of the Tulsa Diocese is to be commended for his decisive leadership in promoting Eucharistic Adoration for Priests in the USA! He really took to heart the Congregation for the Clergy's appeal for Eucharistic adoration and spiritual maternity for priests. He got permission for Father Kirby, a Cistercian, to be assigned to his diocese to live in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament on behalf of his ordained brothers. Father Kirby is also available for spiritual support of priests and deacons in the Tulsa diocese and formation of women discerning spiritual motherhood for priests. It is exciting and encouraging to see what the Holy Spirit is inspiring in Tulsa! Thank God for Bishop Slattery and Father Kirby! Hopefully their holy zeal is catching-- please, Lord!

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Father, Forgive Them!

When thinking of Jesus' words on the Cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."(Luke 23:34), some might argue that His persecutors knew very well what they were doing to Him. They might say the same about priests who have offended or injured others in some way, sometimes catastrophically. Some might insist that with all the advantages of priestly education and the special graces of their vocation there is no excuse for them.

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I like to think that most of us would not do bad things to other people if we really "knew" what we were doing--if we weren't somehow blinded spiritually. Would any of us who claim to know and love Jesus deliberately strike Him, spit in His face, beat Him, torture Him, crucify Him? If we could actually see the effects of our sins and what Jesus suffered for our sake, would we be as quick to look in His eyes and say , "I don't care how this hurts You, Jesus. I'm going to do it anyway!" I don't think so, at least not if we really love Him.

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We all suffer from a degree of spiritual blindness, some more, some less-and not because we necessarily want to be 'blind' or resistant to His grace. For various reasons known only to God, He allows us to walk in a measure of darkness and struggle to find the light.

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Priests are no different than the rest of us in this struggle, but their responsibilities before God are much greater. Because of the spiritual power of their vocations as other Christs and Fathers of souls, priests are the ones under the greatest attack by the unseen forces of evil who seek to destroy the priesthood and the Catholic Church. These words of St. Alphonsus Liguori bear repeating:

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"For every one demon which attacks a layman, one thousand attack the priest."

and

"The good morals and salvation of the people depend on good pastors. If there is a good priest in charge of the parish, you will soon see devotion flourishing, people frequenting the Sacraments and honoring the practice of mental prayer. Hence the proverb: Like pastor, like parish."

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It's not hard to see that the prince of darkness and his cohorts have a lot to gain by the spiritual decline of even just one priest. In his years as a priest he is responsible for the salvation of thousands of souls. If they can make only one priest compromise the truth, become lukewarm, or in some way fall from grace, the eternal effects on souls entrusted to him can be disastrous! A priest never falls without taking others with him., and that is the goal of evil personified.

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It is in the best interests of the Catholic Church, of all Catholics, and of future generations of Catholics that we get serious about the spiritual warfare being waged against all of us, especially through attacks on our Catholic priests. We must "not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) The unseen enemy is deadly serious. His goal is for souls to be lost for all eternity. We need to be equally serious about defending our Church, our priests, and Jesus in the Eucharist. Powerful weapons available to us are Eucharistic adoration, prayer, fasting, and sacrifice.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Union With God

The good news is that

God wants closer union with us here and now

and for all eternity!

The Creator of the whole universe does not need us.

He could have been perfectly content

for all eternity

in the unity of the Holy Trinity.

God is Love! We were created by Love because He wants to share all that is good with us. We did nothing to deserve His generosity. God knew before He willed us into existence all of the ways in which He would be disappointed in us, scorned by us, rejected by us. From all eternity He knew that the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross would be unrecognized or unappreciated by many. Even so, He created the universe and all that's in it for an undeserving and often ungrateful humanity--BECAUSE HE LOVES US!

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The Word, the Son of God, became flesh and dwelt among us to save us from our sins and open heaven's gates to us. The true extent of His physical, mental, and spiritual sufferings are barely known to mankind, and what is known is seldom meditated upon. We live in a world where pleasure and indulgence have become false gods for many and where the value of the cross, and what it signifies, holds little appeal for most of God's children.

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Before Jesus suffered and died for us, He left His first priests, the apostles, with the mandate to stand in His place and repeat the words that change bread and wine into His Body and Blood. He arranged it so that we Catholics and the world would not be without His Real Presence, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. We need our Catholic priests in order to have Jesus in the Eucharist.

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Jesus is both God and man. If the purpose of our lives is intimate union with God, the best place to start is with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and then spending time with Jesus outside of Mass in Eucharistic adoration. This applies even to priests as Pope Benedict XVI has said, "...the secret of their sanctification lies precisely in the Eucharist...the priest must be first and foremost an adorer who contemplates the Eucharist."

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Please, Lord, sanctify Your priests, and send us many more holy priests!

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests.

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Photograph by Brother Lawrence Lew, O.P., his commentary here.

How Beautiful is the Body of Christ

*

**

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Jesus Christ is Truth!

Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, is really Present in every Host consecrated by a duly ordained Catholic priest--BECAUSE JESUS SAID SO! At the Last Supper Jesus said the words that changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood and instructed His apostles, His first priests, to do the same in remembrance of Him. By the power vested in them by Jesus, through His Church in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, His priests still stand in His place and repeat those same words with the same effect.

*******

The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ are hidden under the humble disguise of a wafer of bread. Jesus asks us to believe this truth just as He asked His first apostles and disciples. He also told us that those who believe without seeing will be blessed.

*******

St. Francis of Assisi said about Jesus, "Every day He humbles Himself just as He did when He came down from His heavenly throne into the Virgin's womb; every day He comes to us and lets us see Him in lowliness when He descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar."

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Jesus is Truth! If we cannot believe what He says is true, then whom can we believe? I choose to believe Jesus. I don't know of anyone else who died on a Cross for me. Why should I not believe Him above all others?

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In our Catholic churches and chapels we have the opportunity to come in faith before our God and King! He makes Himself available for everyone without distinction. He welcomes each one with infinite love, as if they were the only one in the whole world that He had to lavish His love and attention upon.

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There is a tendency in human nature to take blessings for granted, as if they are deserved or merited. There is also a tendency to strive after what is scarce, expensive, or hard-to-get. Has Jesus made Himself too readily available to be appreciated by most of the people that He gave His life for?

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"Everyone is ready to run after the latest novelty...but as for Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, He is deserted and forsaken..." That is how St. Jean Vianney, newly designated patron of all priests, saw the situation in his time. In our day, can we say it is much better? There is a growing interest in and practice of Eucharistic adoration, but far from the groundswell that Jesus deserves.

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If we could see Jesus in His glory as He really is, and faith were not required, would there be room in our Catholic churches and chapels for all who would want to be close to Him? Those who feel the call to come to Him now in faith are blessed much more than they can fully appreciate. It is a great gift of grace, best not to be ignored.

*******

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Obligations of the Laity

Over the years I have read words of St. Jean Vianney quoted by different groups promoting prayer for priests. I have never been able to find the exact source of those words, but they have always remained with me. He is reputed to have said, "There is no such thing as a bad priest, only priests whose people have not prayed enough for them."

***

It seems to me that St. Jean is saying that we get what we deserve. If criticism and gossip are more common than prayer for our priests, how can we expect spiritual growth in our priests and our parishes? This Year of the Priest is a good opportunity to begin or renew our resolve to contribute to a spiritual shield for our Catholic priests through donations of Eucharistic adoration, prayer, and sacrifice.

***

We all know that some priests have done seriously bad deeds, but St. Jean Vianney's words should force us to take a closer look at ourselves. He was reminding the laity of their obligations toward priests. Too often it seems all one-sided, with the priests doing all the spiritual enriching and the congregation all the taking. St. Jean's words are a needed reminder that despite all of priests' obligations toward us, we have obligations of our own toward them to attend to. It's easy to be takers instead of givers, but God expects us to spiritually support His priests. To Venerable Conchita Jesus said, "...I want souls who are dedicated with fervor, with determination and without looking for rest, to plead day and night for My priests."

***

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Priest Military Chaplains

Thoughts of two priests in particular prompt me to ask for prayers for all priest military chaplains.

The first priest is Father Tim Vakoc, recently deceased,the first military chaplain seriously injured in the Iraq war. I did not know Father Vakoc personally, but was touched by words he said before he was wounded in 2004 at age 45, "The safest place for me to be is in the center of God's will, and if that is in the line of fire, that is where I will be." Father suffered five long years of medical emergencies and setbacks, tedious therapy, slow rehabilitation progress, difficulty communicating--all this for a formerly active, vibrant young man. Only he and God know the full extent of his mental, physical, and spiritual sufferings. What we do know is that Fr. Vakoc was an inspiration and good example for many as he bravely carried his cross. May he rest in peace, Lord, enjoying his eternal reward with you!

The second priest is Father Brian Stanley who served ten years as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Coldwater, Michigan. As a summer visitor to his parish, I was always inspired by his faithful proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by his clear instruction on the teaching of the Catholic Church. Not concerned with personal popularity, but with saving the souls of the people entrusted to him, he wasn't afraid to present hard truths. He is an outstanding preacher with a special gift for presenting truths of the faith clearly, courageously, and always in an interesting way. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to doze off when he is speaking--he is a dynamic preacher, truly gifted by the Holy Spirit.

Now, Father Stanley is preparing to become a military chaplain, most likely in Iraq or Afghanistan. He and his Bishop believe God is calling him to this ministry. I can't say I'm surprised. Father Stanley's special prayers, love, respect, concern, and interest in our nation's military personnel was clearly evident. They will be extremely blessed to have him. I have no doubt that he will be well accepted and loved by them, as they can't help but recognize his genuine love for them. He will be missed in Coldwater, but God's plan is always best. I would expect Father Stanley to be as courageous in the military as he was in the pulpit. He is a brave and holy priest, a good shepherd following The Good Shepherd as best he can. Lord, please bless and keep Father Stanley safe, and may his ministry bear much good fruit for Your glory and the good of souls!

Father Stanley wrote in a letter to his parishioners that the Army in which he will serve has only 92 priests to serve over 250,000 Catholics! He hopes to be number 93 after he completes a three month Basic Officers' Leadership Course which he will start in September. He said, "Please pray for all in the military and those in the chaplaincy who seek to serve the spiritual needs of the Armed Forces."

For all priest military chaplains and all military chaplains--

Lord, bless them with safe and fruitful ministry!

For all our Armed Forces-- Lord, bless, protect, and guide!

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Saints and the Eucharist

One thing that all the Saints had in common when they lived on earth was a deep love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Regardless of age, social position, vocation, or other responsibilities, it was their priority to attend Mass and spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament as often as possible. Some Saints sacrificed their lives in order to protect Jesus in the Eucharist. Some walked miles under all kinds of weather conditions to be able to attend Mass. Saint Peter Julian Eymard had this to say:

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"The spirit of Eucharistic love

will make you refer everything to the Holy Eucharist,

for the Eucharist is the summary of all marvels.

It is the permanent mystery in which we find all others...

God is immense, the universe is filled with God's presence,

but the Eucharistic soul

prefers to search and find God where He is sacramentally.

Just as the eagles assemble where the body is,

so also Eucharistic souls

are attracted instinctively, easily, and habitually to the Holy Eucharist.

Therein is their happiness, their peace;

there they find a supernatural knowledge of all things."

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The Saints were Eucharistic souls. Our Lord calls everyone to be Saints, not just a few. It would seem that one of the surest ways to help us become Saints would be to become Eucharistic souls--if we are not already.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Blessed Alexandrina da Costa

Blessed Alexandrina da Costa (1904-1955) had an extraordinary love for Jesus in the Eucharist. At age 14 she jumped from an upstairs window to protect herself from assault. Her spine was so severely injured that by the time she was 21 she was totally paralyzed and bedridden for the rest of her life. Since she was a prisoner in her bed, she felt a special closeness to Jesus, who was confined in the tabernacles. She remained with Him in spirit everywhere that He was present in the Blessed Sacrament. So great was her love for Jesus in the Eucharist that she asked to be buried with her face turned toward Jesus in the tabernacle of her church as an expression of her love for His Eucharistic Presence. To Blessed Alexandrina, Jesus said,

"Keep Me company in the Blessed Sacrament. I remain in the tabernacle night and day, waiting to give my love and grace to all who would visit Me. But so few come. I am so abandoned, so lonely, so offended...Many men do not believe that I live in the tabernacle. They curse Me. Others believe, but do not love Me and do not visit Me; they live as if I were not there."

+

"Like Mary Magdalene, you have chosen the better part. You have chosen to love Me in the tabernacles where you can contemplate Me, not with the eyes of the body, but with those of the soul. I am truly present there as in Heaven--Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity...I do not stay in this world only for love of those who love Me, but for everyone..."

According to God's wishes, Blessed Alexandrina's life mission was to suffer for the salvation of souls and in reparation for sins. In addition to many other sufferings, she willingly suffered Our Lord's Passion (from Gethsemane to Calvary) every Friday from midday to 3pm--an intense agony of soul and body for 180 Fridays.

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On Good Friday in 1942, Blessed Alexandrina began an absolute fast from food that would last until her death in 1955, because as Jesus said,

"You are living by the Eucharist alone because I want to prove to the world the power of the Eucharist and the power of my life in souls."

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To the crowds of pilgrims that daily visited her room (sometimes 6000 in a day), she urged frequent Holy Communion, making reparation to Our Lord in the Eucharist, daily recitation of the rosary, consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Brown Scapular, practicing the First Saturday devotion, and penance, penance, penance.

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Jesus asked Alexandrina to find souls who would love Him and keep Him company in the Eucharist, souls who would pray and do penance, souls who would offer themselves to be victim souls as she had. Jesus also told her,

"If anyone should invoke your name when you are in Heaven, they will never do so in vain. I appoint you as protectress of mankind. You will be powerful with the All-Powerful."

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Official website for Blessed Alexandrina


Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Masses for Priests

St. Pio said, "Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual graces which we, ourselves, do not know...It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!"

I have already appealed for Masses for faithful departed priests, but there is also much to be gained spiritually by having Masses said for all priests--benefits for priests, for those attending the Masses, for those having Masses offered, and for the world. How often do you think that priests--without whom there would be no Holy Sacrifice--are themselves the recipients of a Mass intention?

If you would like to do something special for a favorite priest or all priests, consider giving the gift of a Mass or Masses. What could be more appropriate or a greater gift in this Year of the Priest when the emphasis is on prayer for the sanctification of priests--especially considering that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest form of prayer?

If timely scheduling of Masses in your parish is not possible, a good place to send to have Masses scheduled quickly is http://www.spiritualtreasury.org/HolySoul.HTM . Missionary priests, who will offer the Masses, will also benefit from this support of their ministry.

St. Pio, pray for priests and pray for those they shepherd!

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests.

Jesus Asks For Eucharistic Adoration

Pope Benedict and the Congregation for the Clergy are asking for Eucharistic Adoration for Priests with good reason. What could be better than sending people to Jesus in the Eucharist?

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The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Holy Communion are not available at all times, but the Blessed Sacrament is always reserved in Church tabernacles or sometimes exposed in a monstrance for adoration. Jesus has made Himself available for His people out of pure love. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, He told His apostles, the first priests, "Do this is memory of Me." (Luke 22:20) He provided that His followers would not be without His Real Presence in the Eucharist.

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While it is true that Jesus is God and God is everywhere, Jesus is sacramentally present to us only in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Jesus waits for the faithful to visit Him so He can lavish His graces upon them.

Jesus Himself has appealed more than once for Eucharistic adoration. To Saint Faustina (1), Blessed Dina Belanger (2), and Blessed Alexandrina Da Costa (3), He said,

1. "Adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of Mercy."

2. "My Heart overflows with grace for souls! Bring souls to My Eucharistic Heart."

3. "Keep Me company in the Blessed Sacrament. I remain in the tabernacle night and day, waiting to give My love and grace to all who would visit Me."

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests.

Please Help Faithful Departed Priests!

Except for the Blessed Mother's "fiat", which resulted in the Word becoming flesh in her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:38), there is no greater privilege on earth than to stand in the place of Jesus Christ and repeat the words that change bread and wine into His Body and Blood.

There is also no greater responsibility before God. The men who are chosen by Him to be His priests are responsible for offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for absolving the repentant of their sins in the name of the Holy Trinity, and for feeding the spiritually needy and hungry with the Bread of Life. During their lives as priests, they are called to be shepherds of souls and are responsible for the salvation of those entrusted to them. St. Padre Pio said, "...we priests have more responsibilities before God, and when we appear before Him it is with fear and trembling."

If all of us will have to give an accounting to God at judgment, including for every idle word (Matt 12:36), imagine what priests, even the holiest, will have to answer for--because the obligations of their vocation are so much greater. They deserve all the spiritual support Catholics can give them during life and after death. In today's world, all priests face many serious spiritual challenges. In his day, St. Alphonsus Liguori said, "For every one demon which attacks a layman, one thousand attack the priest." Can you imagine that the ratio would be any less today?

St. Pio knew more than most people about purgatory and the souls who wait for their release. He obtained permission from his spiritual director to offer himself as victim for sinners and for souls in purgatory. He suffered the wounds of Christ in his own body for fifty years along with countless other sufferings. Despite overflow crowds at his Masses, he said, "More souls of the dead from purgatory than of the living...attend my Masses and seek my prayers."

The existence of purgatory and the need for souls to be perfectly pure before seeing God in the Beatific Vision is a dogma of the Catholic faith. A dogma is something we are expected to believe as Catholics. Unfortunately, many Catholics no longer believe this dogma, or do not take it seriously. At many funerals the faithful departed are unofficially "canonized". It is comforting for the bereaved to believe their loved ones are already enjoying heavenly bliss, but the truth is we do not know if that is the case. The Catholic Church takes very seriously the process of canonization. It is a long, exacting process. St. Pio said, "...we must always pray. If they no longer need prayers, they are applied to other souls."

When priests who have dedicated their lives to God's service depart this world for their eternal home, it is an appropriate tribute and justice that those who have spiritually benefited from their ministry help hasten their entrance into heaven .

In this Year of the Priest, hopefully the faithful departed priests will not be forgotten. Those who value and practice their Catholic faith are indebted to countless priests. (Actually, the whole world is indebted to Catholic priests--but most people are unaware of it because they don't know about or believe in the value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.)

A fitting and most beneficial offering for faithful departed priests, (who made the Holy Eucharist available for Catholics), is to have Masses offered for their souls. The Gregorian Masses (30 consecutive days) are especially beneficial because they provide Masses quickly for the relief of the soul of one priest--they could be an offering of one person, a few, or several.

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When Masses are not readily available in parishes, a good place to send for Masses--single. triduum (3), novena (9), or Gregorian (30 consecutive) is http://www.spiritualtreaury.org/ . The Masses will be offered by missionary priests--your donation helps the departed soul or souls, helps provide for the temporal needs of the missionary priests, helps make their evangelization and ministry possible, and benefits the people they are able to minister to because of donations. As if that weren't enough, God will bless you for your generosity!

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Following is a list of other possible offerings for faithful departed priests (for all priests, a particular priest, or a specific group of priests)--make the intention before the offering:

Attending Mass and offering your Mass and Holy Communion

Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament

Offering the Precious Blood of Jesus--the St. Gertrude prayer or in your own words

Offering the Holy Rosary and other prayers

Offering of indulgenced prayers, including the indulgence--there are special indulgences for the Year of the Priest (see Annus Sacerdotalis link).

Offering alms, fasting, mortifications, good works, joys, sufferings

Offering any short prayer in your own words--a lifting up of your mind and heart to God on their behalf

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To help faithful departed priests is an act of mercy, and most Christians know what Jesus said about mercy--"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (Matt. 5:7). Every soul's day will come to be judged by God. Hopefully, others will be merciful to us when we are in need and unable to help ourselves, the exact situation in which the souls in purgatory find themselves. Like St. Pio said, "...we must always pray."

Only God knows how many priest souls are in purgatory and dependent on our generosity. To Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, Conchita, Jesus said:

"...I am not able according to the laws established by Me, I WHO CAN DO EVERYTHING, to diminish their purgatory, if the militant Church does not apply my infinite merits to them."

"...I am eager and yearning because souls on earth are able to do what I am not able to do in heaven."

"The mission of faithful souls lasts, to free priests from that place of purification, to gain for Me the joy of seeing them finally in the bosom of my glory. This will be an act of charity for them and a joy that they will give Me."

Knowing that helping His priests who are in purgatory makes Jesus happy should be enough reason for anyone who loves Him to offer up what they can to hasten their release from purgatory and entrance into heaven.

Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Rosary for Priests

Blessed Mother,

Queen of the Most Holy Rosary,

we beg your intercession for your priest sons.

Please hear our prayers:

For all faithful priests--the grace to remain faithful, zealous, and joyful;

For all unfaithful priests--repentance and conversion;

For lukewarm and compromising priests--holy zeal;

For priests in purgatory--hasten their purification;

For all future priests--protect their holy vocations;

For all future unborn priests--protect body and soul.

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Rosary for Priests here.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

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Photograph by Lawrence Lew, O.P.

Prayer for a Deceased Priest

O God, Thou didst raise Thy servant, N.,

to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ,

according to the order of Melchisedech,

giving him the sublime power to offer the Eternal Sacrifice,

to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ

down upon the altar,

and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own Holy Name.

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We beseech Thee to reward his faithfulness

and to forget his faults,

admitting him speedily into Thy Holy Presence,

there to enjoy forever the recompense of his labors.

This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord.

Amen.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us to respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.

Father Corapi, Year of the Priest

The words of Father John Corapi are always worth hearing or reading. Here is what he said about the Year of the Priest. God bless him for sharing his thoughts with us!

Father Corapi


Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us to respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests.

The Power of Prayer--Remember St. Augustine?

An outstanding example of the power of prayer is the life of Saint Augustine of Hippo. For many years his Mother, Saint Monica, cried and prayed and pleaded with God for the conversion of her wayward son. When all seemed lost, God answered her prayer with a resounding "YES"! Augustine not only was converted, but became a priest, a bishop, and one of the few select Doctors of the Church! In addition to the dramatic conversion of her son, Monica was eventually recognized by the Church as a Saint, along with Augustine.

Saint Monica's perseverance in prayer is a good example for all who are eager to witness good results from their prayer quickly. It can be a temptation to give up when disappointed in the seeming lack of response in the one prayed for. If Saint Monica had given up on her son, only God knows how his life would have been different. Because of her faithfulness, the Church and the world were blessed with a great Saint and Doctor of the Church; and Saint Monica was blessed with a son who became a Saint.

When we are praying for priests, it is important to be faithful. Jesus said to Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, "...I want souls who are dedicated with fervor, with determination and without looking for rest, to plead day and night for My priests."

What is done out of love for God and for others is never wasted, no matter how it might appear. When there is no immediate gratification, it can be another opportunity to make a spiritual offering on behalf of priests. When we are trying to please Jesus there is no limit to possible benefits for ourselves and others, although many will be hidden and unknown to us in this life on earth. It is impossible to outdo Him in generosity, but well worth trying.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us to respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.