Prayers for Priests and
Religious
of the Diocese of Nashville
Possibly Interested in the Priesthood?
(A project of the Nashville
Diocesan Council of Catholic Women)
2002: January - February - March
- April - May - June
- July
August - September - October - November - December
December,
2002
Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of angels,
the gladness of shepherds,
and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over
the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with
every blessing.
Deliver us from evil by the
blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy
children
and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds
with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for
Jesus's sake. Amen.
- Robert Louis Stevenson
November,
2002
O Lord of the harvest, your Word
finds a home
In our hearts, calls us to community,
and invites us to generous service of the human family.
Bless with courage and spirit your
priestly people,
called to full participation in the one Body of Christ.
May many choose to respond in public service
to your call offered in Jesus' name. Amen.
- Cardinal Joseph Bernardin
October,
2002
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord
is with you.
Blessed are you among women
And blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our deaths. Amen.
September,
2002
Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the
Flock,
we pray that in the great love and mercy of Your Heart
that You attend to all the needs of Your priest-shepherds
throughout the world.
We ask that You draw back to Your
Heart
all those priestswho have seriously strayed from Your
path,
that You rekindle the desire for holiness
in the hearts of those priests who have become lukewarm,
and that You continue to give Your fervent priests
the desire to highest holiness.
United with Your Heart and Mary's
Heart,
we ask that You take this petition to
Your heavenly Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
August,
2002
O Jesus, eternal High Priest
Live in (name a priest), act in him, speak in
and through him. Think Your thoughts in his mind, love
through his heart. Give him your own dispositions and
feelings.
Teach, lead, and guide him always.
Correct, enlighten, and expand his thoughts and behavior.
Possess his soul; take over his entire personality and
life. Replace him with Yourself. Incline him to constant
adoration and thanksgiving; pray in and through him. Let
him live in You and keep him in this intimate union
always.
O Mary, Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Jesus and mother of priests, pray and intercede
for (name). Amen,
July, 2002
Dear Heavenly Father,
You promised that Your Church, build upon the
"Rock" of Peter
would have Your divine protection and that "the
gates of Hell
would not prevail against it." We implore to
dispatch Your army of
Archangels to protect the Catholic Church from the evil
attacks
being made upon it, both from without and within.
Protect our Holy Father, John Paul
II, from those who wish to harm him,
and continue to give him wisdom, which comes through the
Holy Spirit,
to lead Your people into the new millennium.
We ask this in the name of Your
Son, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
- from the Medjugorje Star May 2002
issue
June, 2002
Heavenly Father, We thank you for
the priests of yesterday.
May they be rewarded for their service to You and Your
Church.
We ask You to bless Your priests of
today.
Strengthen them in their ministry and sanctify them in
their call.
And as we move toward tomorrow,
send more generous and loving men
to serve Your Church in the Diocese of Nashville.
Free them from fear. Open their hearts. Draw them to Your
call.
May they respond generously, serve faithfully, and come
to their fulfillment in you.
We ask this through Christ or Lord.
Amen.
May, 2002
Father, in your plan for salvation,
You provide shepherds for Your people.
Fill Your Church with the Spirit of courage and love.
Raise up worthy ministers for Your altars
and ardent but gentle servants of the Gospel.
Amen.
April,
2002
Lord, let me know clearly the work
which you are calling me to in life.
Grant me the peace and generosity
I need to answer your call
and courage and love and lasting dedication
to do Your will.
Amen.
March,
2002
The Priest
He is another Christ -- respect him;
He is God's representative -- trust him;
He is your benefactor -- be thankful to him.
At the Altar
He offers your prayer to God -- do not forget him;
He prays for you and yours -- ask God's mercy for him.
In the Confessional
He is the physician of your soul -- show him its wounds;
He directs you towards God -- follow his admonitions;
He is judging -- abide by his decisions.
In His Daily Life
He is human -- do not hastily condemn him;
He is human -- a word of kindness will cheer him;
If you must tell his faults -- tell them to God,
that He may give him light and strength to correct them.
He has a great responsibility -- ask God to guide him in
life
and be merciful to him in death.
February,
2002
Lord Jesus, Son of the Eternal
Father and Mary Immaculate, You came to save the world by
becoming flesh and dying for our sins. No greater gift
has ever been given.
May Your example, and that of our
Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, of slefless giving inspire
parents to encourage their children to follow Your call
to God's service and to rejoice when one of their
children is called to the priesthood or the religious
life.
Bless us all with the grace and
courage to follow You. Amen.
January,
2002
Lord, our God, You guide Your
people by the ministry of priests. Keep them faithful in
obedient service to You that by their life and ministry
they may bring You glory in Christ.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus
Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Possibly Interested in the Priesthood?
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