St. Jean Vianney: The Challenges of His Vocation to the Priesthood

Fr. Galen Bank speaks about St. John Vianney's role in the Church, his Spirituality and the challenge of the Priesthood to become another Christ. He talks about his struggle to become a priest, his own mentor, his holiness, and his astounding gift in the confessional that transformed his parish and the universal church. St. John Vianney, Curé of Ars, is the patron saint of priests (especially honoured during the 'Year for 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 odffer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests.  Amen.

Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, for Priests in Purgatory, and for Vocations

"If the faithful love Me, if they want to glorify Me as is their duty of love, nothing can be greater for them to do for Me than what they do for My priests, which is as they would have done for Me Myself..."

"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."

~ Jesus to Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida ~

Excerpted Introduction from the book Praying for Our Priests:

There can be no more fruitful investment in the life of Holy Mother Church than time spent in prayer for Her priests and vocations to the priesthood. This project had its origin in the early days of 2006 when Monsignor Peter Dunne, recovering from a long and critical illness, experienced a deepening awareness of the need to pray for his brother priests in Purgatory. (emphasis mine)

At the same time, Vicki Herout, his longtime caregiver, spiritual daughter, and coworker in many projects, began to realize in her own prayers an intense and persistent call to pray for the priesthood. Eventually, they brought together a group that has continued to meet regularly to pray for priests. This booklet, initially compiled as an aid to this prayer group, has been adapted for use by individuals as well as small and large groups in a variety of settings.

The meditations on the priesthood that you will read in this booklet came out of the hearts and prayers of the authors – out of the heart of Monsignor Dunne who has loved and lived his priesthood to the fullest for sixty-five years – and out of the many months his coauthor spent praying, meditating and writing before the Blessed Sacrament. These prayers are meant for all to pray – priests, religious and laity – but they are written with the special purpose of providing insights into the life of a priest and into the mystery of the priesthood itself that will awaken and encourage in the laity a desire to pray for priests and for holy vocations.

As this booklet is about to be published, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has announced a special ‘Year for Priests’, emphasizing the centrality of Christ in the “…priestly ministry, without which there would be no Eucharist, no mission, not even the Church.” The Holy Father, in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations in May, 2009, also stressed that “…prayer for vocations should be continuous and trusting.” Dear readers, just as we believe that there is no more fruitful investment in the life of the Church than prayer for Her priests, so we believe that one of the many fruits of a holy priesthood is vocations. We pray that this booklet will be an aid to those who will answer the Holy Father’s call to prayer – throughout the year and beyond.

~ Excerpted from page 4 of Praying for Our Priests. ~

~ Previous posts on Charity for Faithful Departed 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.

Pope Benedict XVI: "I Entrust Myself to Your Prayers."

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

"After the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord.

"The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with inadequate instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.

"Let us move forward in the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help. The Lord will help us and Mary, his Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you."

FIRST GREETING OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

Central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica

Tuesday, 19 April 2005

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.

St. John Eudes and Pope Benedict XVI: The Blessing of Saintly Shepherds

"One of the basic characteristics of a shepherd must be to love the people entrusted to him, even as he loves Christ whom he serves. “Feed my sheep”, says Christ to Peter, and now, at this moment, he says it to me as well. Feeding means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God’s truth, of God’s word, the nourishment of his presence, which he gives us in the Blessed Sacrament. My dear friends – at this moment I can only say: pray for me, that I may learn to love the Lord more and more. Pray for me, that I may learn to love his flock more and more – in other words, you, the holy Church, each one of you and all of you together. Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves. Let us pray for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one another."

~ Pope Benedict XVI ~ 

"The most evident mark of God's anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clergy who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds. Instead of nourishing those committed to their care, they rend and devour them brutally. Instead of leading their people to God, they drag Christian souls into hell in their train. Instead of being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, they are its innocuous poison and its murky darkness....

"When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people, and is visiting His most dreadful anger upon them. That is why He cries unceasingly to Christians, 'Return, O ye revolting children...and I will give you pastors according to my own heart' (Jer. 3, 14-15) Thus, irregularities in the lives of priests constitute a scourge upon the people in consequence of sin.

"On the other hand, the greatest effect of God's mercy, the most precious grace He bestows upon mankind, is to send worthy priests, men after His own heart, seeking only His glory and the salvation of souls. The greatest blessing that God bestows upon a church, the most single manifestation of divine grace, is to have a saintly shepherd, be he bishop or priest. This is indeed a grace of graces and the most priceless of all gifts for it includes within itself every other blessing and grace. What is a priest after God's heart? He is an inestimable treasure containing an immensity of good things.....

"The [holy] priest is a sun cheering the world by his presence and bearing. He brings heavenly blessings into every heart. He dispels the ignorance and darkness of error and radiates on every side bright beams of celestial light. He extinguishes sin and gives life and grace to the multitudes. He imparts new life to the weak, inflames the lukewarm, fires most ardently those who are aglow with the sacred flame of divine love...."

~ St. John Eudes ~

PLEASE PRAY DAILY FOR OUR HOLY FATHER AND ALL BISHOPS AND 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.

Vatican University Studying How to Improve Training of Seminarians

The increase in the number of men determined to become priests opens many new challenges. The main one is how to prepare them for their vocation, a task for the bishop of each diocese and the directors of the seminaries. Trying to help them is the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross which has created a specialized center to help “train the trainers.” (from Rome Reports)

Msgr. Juan Carlos Dominguez

Rector, International Seminar “Sedes Sapientiae” (Rome)

“This is the raw material: youth, with the same background of people of their age, with a desire to be holy priests, eager to serve the Church and souls. As a trainer, I've spent almost 30 years training seminary priests, we have to help shape this raw material. It is the Holy Spirit who shows the way and we try to interfere as little as possible.”

“You have to help them in the human formation, and the intellectual formation, to know the doctrine of the Church, Philosophy, Theology, and Canon Law. We also help them in liturgical matters, to understand the true meaning of the liturgy, we aid them in the pastoral field. The most important thing, because it's the basis for all others, is to help them to pray.”

Msgr. Salvatore di Cristina

Bishop of Monreale (Italy)

“The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep, and can give his life in many ways. The important thing is to give their life: the total gift of themselves, which is something we do not learn in books or studies, but according to the excellent model of Jesus Christ.”

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.

Please Pray for Seminarian Philip Johnson: His Inspiring and Powerful Witness

"On October 15, 2008, after two years as an officer in the Navy, my life changed when I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Putting my concerns in the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary and my trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that I may be faithful to the Holy Catholic Faith and serve the Church for the rest of my life."

~ Philip Johnson  ~

~ Prayers requested for Philip Johnson:  Vocare Blog ~

~ Philip Gerard Johnson's blog:  In Caritate Non Ficta ~

~ Novena prayer for Philip Johnson ~

~ Video found at Roman Catholic Vocations ~

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 John Paul II: The Courage to Follow Christ

"Being a Christian has never been easy, nor is it easy today.

Following Christ demands the courage of radical choices,

which often means going against the stream.

"We are Christ!", St Augustine exclaimed.

The martyrs and witnesses of faith yesterday and today,

 including many lay faithful, show that,

if necessary, we must not hesitate to give even our lives for Jesus Christ."

~ Pope John Paul II, November 26, 2000 ~

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.