Friday, June 12, 2009

The Year for Priests

The USCCB Website for the Year for Priests is a great resource. The icon to the left has Melchisedech and John Vianney flanking Christ, vested as the Eternal High Priest. It also has a prayer for priests to pray during the year

A Priest’s Prayer


Loving Father, I praise you, I love you, I adore you.
Send your Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind to the truth of your Son, Jesus, Priest and Victim.
Through the same Spirit guide my heart to his Sacred Heart, to renew in me a priestly passion that I, too, might lay down my life upon the altar. May your Spirit wash away my impurities and free me from all my transgressions in the Cup of Salvation, Let only your will be done in me.

May the Blessed Mother of your dearly beloved Son,wrap her mantle around me and protect me from all evil. May she guide me to do whatever He tells me. May she teach me to have the heart of St. Joseph, her spouse, to protect and care for my bride. And may her pierced heart inspire me to embrace as my own your children who suffer at the foot of the cross. I humbly cry to her: please be my consoling mother,
and help me to be a better son.

Lord, make me a holy priest, inflamed with the fire of your love, seeking nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. I humbly bless and thank you, my Father, through the Spirit, in Christ Jesus, your Son and my brother. Amen.

O Mary, Queen of priests, pray for us.

Saint John Vianney, pray for us.
 
There is also a prayer for the people to pray for their priests during this upcoming year as well.
 
Please Pray for Priests


Dear Lord, we pray that the Blessed Mother wrap her mantle around your priests and through her itercession strengthen them for their ministry. We pray that Mary will guide your priests to follow her own words, “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary’s most chaste spouse. May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross. May your priests be holy, filled with the fire of your love seeking nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, pray for us.