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.