Adopt a Cardinal to Spiritually Support During the Papal Election Process

What about you? Do you feel the same way too?

• Are you infinitely thankful to God for having given us such a wonderful, wise and benevolent pope in Benedict XVI.?
• Do you sincerely hope that the Church will be granted a worthy successor: a rock of faith, a leader open to the Holy Spirit, a pope prayerful and holy?
• Do you as an important part of the Body of Christ wish to contribute through the power of your prayers so that the Holy Spirit may guide, protect and enlighten our Cardinals when they determine the next successor of St. Peter?

You now have the opportunity to actively be part of this providential endeavour by having a Cardinal assigned to you, who you will support through your prayer and intercession during the coming weeks before and during the conclave and for three days following the election.

Click here to "Adopt"!

Currently 102827 people have adopted a Cardinal!

 

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.

 

Contribute to Prayer Gift for Pope Benedict XVI's 60th Anniversary of Ordination: Eucharistic Adoration for Sanctification of the Clergy and for Priestly Vocations

Pope Benedict XVI’s 60th Anniversary of Ordination June 29

The pope will celebrate his anniversary June 29, the Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul. In honor of his anniversary, the Vatican Congregation for Clergy suggested Catholic clergy and faithful be invited to participate in Eucharistic Adoration with the intention of praying for the sanctification of the clergy and for the gift of new and holy priestly vocations.

Dioceses nationwide are planning special prayers before the Blessed Sacrament in June, offered continuously or across various days in the month.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, highlighted the importance of this celebration.

“An increase in number and sanctity of the priests in service to our dioceses is a sign of health and vitality in the Church,” he said. Prayer for vocations is “a worthy intention” and an appropriate spiritual sacrifice “in gratitude for the example and service of Pope Benedict XVI,” he wrote in a May 17 letter to bishops.

“This is an exceptional opportunity to give thanks for our Holy Father, to pray for all of our priests, and to ask the Lord for more vocations to the priesthood,” said Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis, chairman for the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “The Holy Father has been an outstanding model of priestly ministry and service to the Church. In his Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Proposing Vocations in the Local Church, he reminded the faithful that we all have a responsibility to pray for vocations. This is a great opportunity to do just that.” (Source)

PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

Lord Jesus we come into your Eucharistic presence to thank you for the life and priestly vocation of Pope Benedict XVI. Bless him and his ministry as your Vicar and the Successor of St. Peter. Sanctify all your priests and configure them to your Sacred and Priestly Heart. Give to your Church new and holy priests, who will imitate your divine love and shepherd your people with care. You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Source)

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. 

Pope Benedict XVI: Consoled by Our Prayers

“Dear friends, it is a great consolation for the Pope to know that at each Eucharistic celebration everyone prays for him, and that our prayer is joined to the Lord’s prayer for Peter. Only by the prayer of the Lord and of the Church can the Pope fulfil his task of strengthening his brethren...”

~ Pope Benedict XVI; excerpt from Holy Thursday Homily on April 21, 2011 ~

Please consider making a commitment to pray a monthly Rosary (or more) for Pope Benedict
at Rosary for the Bishop. 

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.

Laity Asked to Fast for Priests on October 23, 2010

”…prayer united with fasting is the most powerful force in human history.”

~  Pope John Paul II ~

The Fifth annual, worldwide Lay Fast for Priests will take place on Saturday, 23 October 2010.

Every lay member of the Body of Christ is invited to join the global fasters from all corners of

the Universal Church who want to lift up our priests to Almighty God for their protection, divine

sustenance and fidelity to the ministry of Holy Orders.

Suggested Format of Fast:

FAST will be from Dawn until 3.00 PM.
Participants can fast from any thing that will allow each to share in some way in the sacrifice of Our Lord. Fasting from Food, Television, Speech,Cigarettes or anything else will be offered for the fast hours on behalf of our priests in the local, national and Universal Church.

~ For more information on Day of Fast for Priests, click here. ~

St. Therese of Lisieux's Prayer for Priests

St. Thérèse’s devotion to the Priesthood is to be found in all its fullness in a prayer which she
used to say daily and which she learnt off by heart; this is all the more remarkable in view of
her known distaste for lengthy set forms of prayer.

"O Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of Thy Divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the Cross; priests: who as a pledge of Thine own most tender love will lovingly give Thy Divine Son to the souls of men.

May Thy priests be faithful guardians of Thy Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught bythis loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother’s care and thoughtfulness towards Thy children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with Thee through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of Thy Divine Heart.

Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.
Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for Thy beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in thy school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of thine own spotless love."

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 the Bishop Spreads Throughout the World

On Friday, July 2nd, Wendy Weise interviewed Tom Reitz about Rosary for the Bishop on The Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio. If you missed the interview, you can listen here:

Please support this inspired and inspiring prayer initiative for Bishops!

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.

Pope Benedict XVI Asks for Support for Priests and Prayers for His Ministry

"I ask all of you to support your priests in their ministry of leading men and women to God, bearing witness to the truth of the Gospel and its message of hope. In a special way I also ask you to pray for my own ministry of governance in the Church, and for the spiritual fruitfulness of the celebrations at the conclusion of the Year for Priests."

~ Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience 5/26/10 ~

If you haven't made a commitment to pray a monthly Rosary (or more) for the Holy Father, please consider signing up at Rosary for the Bishop. Certainly, you don't need to join a prayer campaign in order to pray for Pope Benedict or any other bishop. However, by making a commitment you are less likely to forget to actually pray the Rosary for them. There is great beauty and power in Catholics throughout the world united in prayerful support of God's priests. Let's show Pope Benedict, our bishops and all our priests how much we love, appreciate and pray for them.

You don't have to worry about forgetting your commitment to pray a Rosary for the Holy Father or another bishop. The Rosary for the Bishop group will be happy to send you an email reminder for each day you promise to pray. They have done all the work in setting up this prayer campaign and making it easy for the rest of us to participate.

I opted not to be reminded by email for the days I commited to pray the Rosary. Nevertheless, I am always reminded and not allowed to forget. I can't say who it is that reminds me, because I don't know, but the reminder comes and, without a doubt, I know that it is what God wants of me. If you haven't made a commitment to Rosary for the Bishop yet--pray about it. God might be asking YOU to say 'yes'.

As you can see from the Rosary for the Bishop badge in the sidebar, so far only 46 people from 40 parishes and 33 dioceses in the whole world have made a commitment to pray at least one Rosary a month for Pope Benedict. Doesn't this sweet, holy shepherd deserve more?

The Holy Father and other bishops are provided with access to the latest data of how many people are praying for them. On the Rosary for the Bishop website you are able to see how many people are praying for any particular bishop. You might be surprised at some of the statistics. Check it out for yourself and see what the Holy Spirit inspires you to do.

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.

An Appeal for Thousands of Rosaries Throughout the World for All Priests

"We already know that we are not alone;

now, they need to know that they are not alone."

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 the Bishop: Testimonials and Blog

"We bishops rely each and every blessed day on the prayers of the good and holy people of our diocese and of all those who have gone before us. We have no better intercessor than our Blessed Mother, the Mother of all the Apostles, the Mother of the Church. It gives me great serenity to know that so many women and men are turning to Mary, asking her special care and intercession for the bishops. As the Lord blesses the bishops through the intercession of Mary, may every person who takes part in the Rosary for the Bishop project also be blessed."

~ Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Diocese of Madison ~

"As a Bishop, I am humbled and privileged to be prayed for by name each time Mass is celebrated in my Diocese. Knowing that many others are also praying for me every day by participating in the program Rosary for the Bishop, is a special blessing and source of encouragement for me. The intercession of our Blessed Mother through the praying of the rosary is a powerful tool to help me in my mission as a Shepherd of the Church. Thank you to all who participate in the program and for all who make it possible. It means more to me than you will ever know and I do indeed feel the grace of your prayers for me."

~ Bishop R. Walker Nickless, Diocese of Sioux City ~

~ From Rosary for the Bishop Blog ~

Have you signed up to pray for your bishop, the Holy Father--or perhaps also another favorite bishop somewhere in your nation or the world? If you want to make the Blessed Mother happy and spiritually uplift the bishops of the world, sign up for Rosary for the Bishop.

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.

Spiritual Bouquet for Pope Benedict XVI

From the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest:

Desiring to show our filial support and gratitude to our Holy Father, the Institute of Christ the King wishes to offer an abundant spiritual bouquet to His Holiness. Your prayers are needed! To participate in this spiritual bouquet, please use our online form below. Simply indicate the number and types of prayers you wish to offer. This spiritual bouquet will then be presented directly to His Holiness.

We especially encourage your prayers and sacrifices during a special Novena beginning on Saturday, April 24, 5th anniversary of the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI, through May 2, which is the first Sunday of the month of Mary, Mother of the Church. During this Novena in support of His Holiness, we will also celebrate on May 1 the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, Patron of the Universal Church and lifelong namesake patron of our Holy Father.

May God bless you for your prayers and sacrifices on behalf of His Vicar on earth.

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.

Express Your Love and Solidarity for Pope Benedict XVI: Join Rosary for the Bishop!

“The somberness of Holy Week is intensified for Catholics this year.

“The recent tidal wave of headlines about abuse of minors by some few priests, this time in Ireland, Germany, and a re-run of an old story from Wisconsin, has knocked us to our knees once again.

“Anytime this horror, vicious sin, and nauseating crime is reported, as it needs to be, victims and their families are wounded again, the vast majority of faithful priests bow their heads in shame anew, and sincere Catholics experience another dose of shock, sorrow, and even anger.

“What deepens the sadness now is the unrelenting insinuations against the Holy Father himself, as certain sources seem frenzied to implicate the man who, perhaps more than anyone else has been the leader in purification, reform, and renewal that the Church so needs.

“Sunday Mass is hardly the place to document the inaccuracy, bias, and hyperbole of such aspersions.

“But, Sunday Mass is indeed the time for Catholics to pray for “ . . . Benedict our Pope.”

“And Palm Sunday Mass is sure a fitting place for us to express our love and solidarity for our earthly shepherd now suffering some of the same unjust accusations, shouts of the mob, and scourging at the pillar, as did Jesus.

“No one has been more vigorous in cleansing the Church of the effects of this sickening sin than the man we now call Pope Benedict XVI. The dramatic progress that the Catholic Church in the United States has made--documented again just last week by the report made by independent forensic auditors--could never have happened without the insistence and support of the very man now being daily crowned with thorns by groundless innuendo."

~ Archbishop Timothy Dolan, quoted from here ~

A GOOD WAY TO EXPRESS YOUR LOVE AND SOLIDARITY FOR OUR HOLY FATHER IS BY JOINING THE ROSARY FOR THE BISHOP CAMPAIGN AND BY MAKING A COMMITMENT TO PRAY ONE ROSARY A MONTH FOR HIM!

Since January of this year, 25 Catholics from 24 parishes in 19 dioceses have made a commitment to pray one or more Rosaries a month for Pope Benedict XVI. Surely, there must be many more Catholics who would want to support our dear Holy Father in this way if they knew about the Rosary for the Bishop campaign. Spread the word!

Of course, it would be appropriate to make a commitment to pray the Rosary for your own diocesan bishop also. Personally, it is easier for me to be faithful to a specific commitment than to a general intention to pray. I am grateful to those who started, promote and maintain the Rosary for the Bishop campaign. This work of the Holy Spirit, seeking the intercession of the Blessed Mother for her bishop sons, is a POWERFUL WEAPON in the spiritual warfare being waged against the Holy Father, bishops, priests and the entire Church!

More information about Rosary for the Bishop can be found here.

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.

Join the Rosary for the Bishop Campaign Today!

Thanks to Catholics from Wisconsin for sharing a great idea to spiritually support our bishops! From their website we learn:

Rosary for the Bishop is a program which aims to show support for Catholic Bishops by maintaining an ongoing web-based spiritual bouquet.

The effort began at Christmas of 2005 in Madison Wisconsin as a Spiritual Bouquet for Bishop Robert Morlino. Lay Catholics from around the Diocese of Madison could sign up online to pray one rosary per month for the Bishop.

After two years, over 300 people were praying one Rosary per month for Bishop Morlino year-round, with at least five Rosaries being prayed every day.

At the end of 2009, the organizers of Madison's Rosary for the Bishop campaign, inspired by the success in Madison, decided to expand the program to all Dioceses in the United States. The Rosary for the Bishop website was overhauled to accommodate this change, as well as adding a number of new features, such as Twitter integration.

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It is easy to join this prayer initiative for our Catholic bishops. Don't delay. They need and deserve our prayer support. Maybe you already do pray for your bishop, but Rosary for the Bishop keeps count of the Rosaries promised and lets the bishops know how many are praying for them. Who isn't comforted and strengthened by the knowledge that others are supporting them in prayer--including bishops? Join today! It only takes a few minutes.

Update 2/8/10: Some bishops outside of the USA have now been included in the campaign. The organizers must be busy accommodating requests to include bishops from other countries. If you want your bishop included, submit a request, and then be sure to let people in your parish and diocese know about it so they can join the campaign!

For a good article about the campaign from CNA, click here.

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.