Thursday Prayer for Our Precious Priests!

Dear Friends,

I am just back from the March for Life in Washington DC and filled with such hope. Although there is always a media blackout, except EWTN, the momentum toward a culture of LIFE continues to build. The procession of seminarians, deacons, priests, bishops and cardinals at the opening Mass took 40 minutes--just the procession. Keep praying for them!

Pax Christi,
Kathy

Most loving Jesus and our Lord, who have redeemed the world at the price of your Most Precious Blood, look mercifully on poor mankind, which in a greater part, lies in the darkness of error and in the shadow of death. Shine on it the fullness of the light of truth. Multiply, Lord, the apostles of your Gospel. Make them fervent and fruitful. Bless with your grace their zeal and their pains so that through them all unbelievers may come to know you and turn to you, their Creator and Redeemer.
Call back again into your sheepfold those who have strayed, and back into the womb of your only and true Church, the rebellious. O Most lovable Savior, hasten the long-awaited advent of your kingdom on earth. Attract all men to your sweetest Heart so that all may participate in the incomparable benefits of Redemption. Amen. ~ Pope Pius XII

 

Dear Friends,
These prayers take only a minute yet can so powerfully assist our priests. Let's continue encouraging our family and friends to be praying for our priests. God bless you.

Pax Christi,
Kathy

O my Jesus, I beg you on behalf of the whole Church, grant it love and the light of your Spirit and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to you, O Lord.
Lord, give us holy priests. Your yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests.
May the power of your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for you can do all things. I ask you, Jesus, for a special blessing and for light for the priests before whom I will make my confessions throughout my lifetime. Amen.
~St. Faustina

 

Dear Friends,

This prayer is very appropriate and timely for our priests and bishops. We are indeed blessed to live in these difficult times as we are called to pray for our priests, stand firmly with them and follow them onto the battlefield defending our Catholic faith and religious liberty. Most of you have seen the request from the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) asking for our help in voicing support for the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act. Here is the link if you have not had that opportunity to stand with them: PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/take-action-now/capwiz/index.cfm

For those looking for a way to support the bishops on Facebook, you can check Stand with the US Bishops against the HHS
https://www.facebook.com/CatholicsAgainstHHS

Pope Benedict today reminded us we must act with charity, but we must act to preserve our religious freedom.

Pax Christi,
Kathy


Look kindly Lord, on your priests, religious and laymen who left all to witness to your word and your love. Be to each one of them a "powerful protector and their strong support, their shade from the midday sun, their shelter from the desert wind, a guard against stumbling, an assurance against a fall..." (Ecc 34:19).

Sustain them in difficult moments, direct their strength, console their hearts and crown their works with spiritual victories. Let them not seek for earthly success or the goods of this world, but only your triumph and the good of souls.

Your Cross, which accompanies them through their lives, speaks to them of heroism, renunciation and of peace. Be their comfort, their guide, their light and their strength, so that your name may be announced everywhere and that, surrounded by a larger and larger number of your children, they may sing a hymn of thanksgiving, of glory and redemption. Amen.

-Pope John XXIII

 

Dear Friends,

I enjoyed re-reading this from an old article so thought I'd re-share

We don’t call priests to tell them we got a promotion, or a new car, or when we are expecting a new child. We call a priest when our soul is weighted with the loss of a loved one, when an ailing relative needs anointing, or when we are tormented by addictions or moments of doubt. They are constantly asked to give. And with fewer priests around, each of them is carrying a larger share of the load.
Don’t get me wrong, this is part of their vocation and there also are great blessings and advantages that come with the role. But I feel a good goal to keep is to make an effort to give back to a priest each time he gives to us.

For those who may be needing ideas for Lent check out http://thepracticaldisciple.com/page_id126

Please pass this along and encourage prayers from family and friends. Blessings this Lenten Season.

Pax Christi,
Kathy


Prayer ~

O Jesus, Good Shepherd, who have come to save what was lost, you have
established the priesthood of the Holy Church, so that the work of Redemption
might be perpetuated.
We ask you urgently: send laborers into your vineyard! Give your Holy Church
worthy and holy priests. Give your Holy Church religious brothers and sisters.
Grant that all those whom you have chosen from all eternity may follow your call.
Do not allow anyone who is unworthy to ascend the steps of the altar.
Confirm all priests and religious in their difficult vocation and bless their efforts
and labors.
Grant that they may be the salt of the earth which preserves from corruption and
that they may be the light of the world which enlightens the faithful by their words
and example.
Grant them wisdom, patience and fortitude in order that they may promote your
honor, propagate your Kingdom in the hearts of men, and guide the souls which
have been entrusted to them to eternal life. Amen.

 

Dear Friends,

It is easy to become distracted with worldly things and difficulties in our lives, so much so that we miss opportunities to pray. Remember to visit Our Lord at an Adoration Chapel during this Lenten Season. He will bless you abundantly. While you are there, remember to offer prayers for our priests. They are offering so many for us.

Pax Christi,
Kathy

Through the intercession of St John Vianney (patron saint of priests)

Eternal God,
Please bless our priests, who represent you on this earth. Make them more greatly aware of the grace that you pour out through them when they minister the sacraments, and help them to fall more deeply in love with you after each and every Mass that they celebrate. Please strengthen our priests, who shepherd your flock, when they are in doubt of their faith, that they may be examples of your truth and guide us always on the path to you. We ask these things of you our Eternal Priest. Amen.

 

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your continuous gift of prayer for our priests and all religious. For just a minute or two of your time, God can take a small prayer and return it with so many blessings for His priests. (Pass this prayer along to friends and multiply the prayers!)

Pax Christi,
Kathy

Prayer for Priests

0 my God, pour forth upon thy priests the spirit of sacrifice
in its fulness. It is their glory as much as their duty to be
victims, to consume themselves for souls, to often live without
human joys, to often undergo mistrust, injustice and
persecution.

May they reflect upon what they say each day at the altar:
"This is My Body; this is My Blood." May they reflect on
it and apply it to themselves: "I am no longer myself, I am
Jesus, and Jesus crucified. I am, like the bread and wine,
a consecrated substance which has ceased to be itself"

0 my God, I burn with the desire of the sanctification of Thy
priests. I would that all those consecrated hands which touch
Thee be friendly hands whose contact be sweet to Thee, and that the mouths which pronounce at the altar words so sublime never lower themselves to trivial formulas.

May they keep in their entire person the habit of their noble functions. May one find them simple and great, like the Host, accessible to all and superior to other men.

0 my God, make them carry away from the Mass of today the thirst for the Mass of tomorrow, and may each of them, filled with gifts received, have the grace to communicate them generously to others. Amen.