St. Thomas Aquinas - Pastoral Prayers

Prayers for Priests and Religious
of the Diocese of Nashville

(A project of the Nashville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women)

2003: January - February - March - April - May - June - July
August - September - October - November - December

Archives: 2002

December, 2003

Loving Father,
Help us to remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of angels,
the gladness of the 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 greeting.

Deliver us from evil by blessing what Christ brings and
teach 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 sake. Amen

November, 2003

Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the generous 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 our Lord. Amen

October, 2003

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

September, 2003

O Jesus, Eternal Priest,
Keep all your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may harm them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands
which daily touch Your Sacred Body
Keep unsullied their lips
purpled with Your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts
sealed with the sublime marks of Your glorious priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and
shield them from the world's contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls of who they have ministered,
be here on earth their joy and consolation
and in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown.
Amen

August, 2003

Father,
You sent your Son as the Good Shepherd, willing to lay down his life for his sheep.
Smile upon all of those whom you have chosen to lead us in the ways of your Son.
Fill their hearts with love and their lives with faith.
Thank you for the gift of leadership and service in your Church.
May all who lead always show forth your face and speak with your voice.
Amen

July, 2003

Eternal Father,
Bless our Holy Father, our bishops, our priests, and our religious.
Strengthen them with joy in their labors, patience in their sufferings,
and endurance in their struggles.
Make us one with them in faith, loyal in divine service, and holy in life.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen

June, 2003

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
We thank you for our faithful priests and bishops,
whose spiritual fatherhood and example of fidelity, self-sacrifice, and devotion
is so vital to the faith of your people.

May our spiritual fathers be guided by the examples
of the Apostles and their saintly successors.
Give them valiant faith in the face of confusion and conflict,
hope in time of trouble and sorrow, and
steadfast love for You and all your people.
May the light of Your truth shine through their lives and good works.

Assist all spiritual fathers, that through Your Grace
they may steadily grow in holiness and in knowledge and understanding of Your Truth.
May they generously impart this knowledge to those who rely on them.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

April, 2003

Jesus,
We ask You to bless our parish and
all those living their commitment to You
as married couples, singles, sisters, brothers, deacons and priests.
We pray that our young people may know their vocations
and respond with enthusiasm and generosity of spirit.

Increase the faith life of our parish and strengthen our families.
Bless our diocese with many vocations.
Grant, Lord, that faithfully sharing Your mission in this life,
we may come together to share Your eternal life in heaven.
Amen

March, 2003

Loving God,
Your love is manifest in Your beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your love shines in the body of Christ,
the Church.

Make us eager to serve one another in the Church.
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit,
lead us into the ministry of the word and sacrament,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

February, 2003

Dear Father in Heaven,
Please encourage and strengthen our priests and religious
through the power of Your Spirit.
Help them to be understanding and compassionate
as Jesus was.
Fill their hearts with His joyful, loving zeal.

Inspire many men and women with a desire
To serve Your people in the priesthood and religious life,
and give them the courage and generosity
to respond to Your call.

We ask this in the name of Your son, Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Amen

January, 2003

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 our Lord. Amen.

Possibly Interested in the Priesthood?