The Secret of Priestly Holiness and Supernatural Fruitfulness

If only souls knew the power to purify and to transform
that emanates from My tabernacles!
If only My priests knew this
they would hasten into My presence
and remain there,
waiting for Me to do in them
what, of themselves, they cannot do.

It is the simple prayer of adoration
that renders a priest fit for the sacred ministry
by giving him a pure heart
and by correcting all that is incompatible with My Divine Holiness
and with My Priestly Love in his life.
This way of holiness through adoration
is a secret revealed to My saints in ages past,
and it is a gift that I am offering My priests
in these times of impurity, persecution, and darkness.

For impurity,
I will give them a shining purity
that will blaze before the eyes of the world
as a testimony to Divine Love.
For persecution
I will give them a manly strength and a resoluteness of purpose
that will confound those who plot their downfall.
For darkness
I will give them a clear light by which to order their steps
and see what choices are pleasing to My Heart.

Time spent in My presence is not time wasted.
It is the ground and support
of every word spoken by My priests in the exercise of their ministry;
it is the secret of a priestly action that is supernaturally fruitful,
bearing fruit that will last.

~ Excerpt from Vultus Christi ~

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.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's Intercession for a Stillborn Baby Boy

Bonnie Engstrom remembers praying silently to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen over and over again after her baby son was born lifeless and without a pulse for 61 minutes.

~ Excerpt from Catholic News Agency ~

Prayer for Canonization

Heavenly Father, source of all holiness, You raise up within the Church in every age men and women who serve with heroic love and dedication. You have blessed Your Church through the life and ministry of Your faithful servant, Archbishop Fulton J Sheen. He has written and spoken well of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and was a true instrument of the Holy Spirit in touching the hearts of countless people.

If it be according to Your Will, for the honor and glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for the salvation of souls, we ask You to move the Church to proclaim him a saint. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

~ From archbishopsheencause.org ~

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. Padre Pio and Fr. Stefano Manelli, His Spiritual Child

Today is the Feast of St. Pio, affectionately known as Padre Pio, a modern miracle worker who had the stigmata of Our Lord's wounds imprinted visibly on his flesh. He was spiritual director of Fr. Stefano Manelli, our founder, and his entire family.

Mass offered by Fr. Stefano Manelli:

Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli was born in Fiume/Rijeka (Hrvatska), Italy on May 1, 1933. His parents were Servant of God Settimio Manelli and Servant of God Licia Gualandris, spiritual children of St. Pio of Prietrelcina. He was the sixth of the twenty-one children.

He received his first communion from Padre Pio himself in 1938.

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.

Fr. Raymond Nobiletti, M.M.: Maryknoll Priest, 9/11 First Responder and Survivor

"...the phone rang and a neighboring parish priest asked if I could go immediately to the World Trade Center. Priests were needed to minister to the wounded. The office TV then revealed that this was no small plane crash."

"Stunned by the image of the towering inferno, I was in a daze while collecting the Holy Oils, stole, and prayer book needed to administer the Sacraments. This would not be the first time in 30 years of priesthood that I would walk into a disaster such as this. In 1972 in Hong Kong, I was waist deep in the mud of a landslide that took the lives of 72 people. I learned how important it was to be an instrument of God’s presence and am still humbled by that privilege. I knew that the presence of a priest would be important to both survivors and responders that morning at the World Trade Center."

"God’s presence was made visible in the Sacraments of the Church, the ministry of the priesthood, and the compassion shown toward the victims by the first responders. It was spontaneous and unexpected as are so many important and meaningful occasions of God’s presence in the face of evil. God’s grace led me down to the World Trade Center that day. The needs of the people and victims were more important than the risk of being there. I did think that I would see God face-to-face that morning."

"The recognizable presence of a priest who represents the compassion and forgiveness of God should never be underestimated, especially in the midst of sudden crisis or in the face of such evil. The presence of God and the grace of God was and still is tangible at Ground Zero.

What a gift and privilege it was to be an instrument of God’s grace and part of the team of people from all walks of life who made God so present to all on that day. In our own life journey everyday, we continue to experience God’s presence in these people and this place.

 

Father Raymond Nobiletti, M.M., excerpts from his remembrance of 9/11

Chinatown, New York City,

September 2011

Lord, give me comfort, give me strength, give me hope in the face of sorrow. Give me the knowledge that you are beside me today and every tomorrow. Let me be there for others who reach out to me in their time of need. Let me follow the path you set for me, no matter where it may lead.

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.

Servants of Christ Priest: Lives Offered for the Sanctification of Priests

We offer our life as a continuous offering for the personal sanctification of all priests of the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church...

The Servants of Christ the Priest is a new foundation of Catholic religious family, with all the difficulties that has a new foundation, in existence for two years in the Diocese of Porto - Portugal, with a canonical process for approval of the Statutes of the Community course. This new foundation has the charisma and intended to promote dignity of the liturgy, parishes and religious communities that do not sing the Divine Office, forming and helping the people of God for the worthy celebration of the praise due to the Blessed Trinity. + You who love the God, look upon those who work in establishing the kingdom of Christ! This new religious family needs your help! + All the work of God, born of His holy will, and grow by the Brothers of Charity. We, the Servants of Christ the Priest, despite the great desire to serve Christ in all of our being, we can not do it for lack of physical and economic conditions. Thanks to the glorious action of Divine Providence, we have place for our first convent, however, we need material for our Chapel and all aid is welcome. We still need a wood stove, dishwasher, beds, etc., so we implore the Holy Trinity that touch the hearts of all our brothers in Christ, so that with everyone's help, we can bring to fruition, this work of God started in us. For our part, we will continue to say YES - FIAT, as the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, Patroness and Queen, with the title of Holy Mother Church, so that, like her, regardless of the difficulties and obstacles, can deliver us all day, those who in His infinite mercy, has delivered us from darkness, and called us into his marvelous light. You, dear brother, dear sister, you read this letter, if God calls you to work with him, asking you what He Himself has given you, you respond to His holy calling, for this cause by sharing the little they have not forgetting, which is never how much is it that pleases God, but the joy of doing, and, in the person of the brothers, serve the Lord Christ himself. We hope that very soon, we can arrange a ride-living, our small and very dear convent, so that everyone can see for themselves the place that He, in His infinite goodness, has prepared in order The radicalism of the total serving a life consecrated to Him and delivered, to the salvation of souls and the sanctification of his priests. * This community lives in Providence and love of the brothers committed and faithful to Jesus Christ ... * * Help this work God to grow and multiply! * * Be a Patron of the Work of God! * * May the Lord Almighty, the reward at 100 for 1! * + Come, ye blessed of my Father! + Servants of Christ the Priest Street Tristan Vaz Teixeira, 97, 2 TC 4435-494 RIO TINTO PORTUGAL@ general servosdecristo priest . com +351 22 4881348 (Translation by Google)

~ From Servants of Christ Priest ~

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 Counsels Seminarians in Madrid During World Youth Day 2011

"To be modeled on Christ, dear seminarians, is to be identified ever more closely with him who, for our sake, became servant, priest and victim. To be modeled on him is in fact the task upon which the priest spends his entire life. We already know that it is beyond us and we will not fully succeed but, as St Paul says, we run towards the goal, hoping to reach it (cf. Phil 3:12-14).

"That said, Christ the High Priest is also the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep, even giving his life for them (cf. Jn 10:11). In order to liken yourselves to the Lord in this as well, your heart must mature while in seminary, remaining completely open to the Master. This openness, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, inspires the decision to live in celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and, leaving aside the world’s goods, live in austerity of life and sincere obedience, without pretence."

"Under the guidance of your formators, open your hearts to the light of the Lord, to see if this path which demands courage and authenticity is for you. Approach the priesthood only if you are firmly convinced that God is calling you to be his ministers, and if you are completely determined to exercise it in obedience to the Church’s precepts.

"With this confidence, learn from him who described himself as meek and humble of heart, leaving behind all earthly desire for his sake so that, rather than pursuing your own good, you build up your brothers and sisters by the way you live, as did the patron saint of the diocesan clergy of Spain, St John of Avila. Moved by his example, look above all to the Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests. She will know how to mould your hearts according to the model of Christ, her divine Son, and she will teach you how to treasure for ever all that he gained on Calvary for the salvation of the world. Amen."

~ Pope Benedict XVI; excerpts from Eucharist with Seminarians Homily, August 20, 2011 ~ 

 

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.

Interesting Facts About American Priests and World Youth Day

More than half of the priests who were ordained in the U.S. in 2011 were between the ages of 25 and 34. This according to a report released by the American Conference of Catholic Bishops. About 480 priests were ordained this year and roughly 20 percent of them attended World Youth Day at one time in their lives.

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.