“Pray very much for the Pope, bishops, and priests …
Continue to pray very much…very much.”
– Our Lady of Akita to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa
“For the priestly office is indeed discharged on earth, but it ranks among heavenly ordinances;
and very naturally so: for neither man, nor angel, nor archangel, nor any other created power,
but the Paraclete Himself, instituted this vocation,
and persuaded men while still abiding in the flesh to represent the ministry of angels.
Wherefore the consecrated priest ought to be as pure as if he were standing in the heavens themselves in the midst of those powers.”
— St. John Chrysostom
Holy Hour for the Sanctification of Priests
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HOLY HOUR for the SANCTIFICATION of PRIESTS
and for
VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD
The Sign of the Cross followed by an Adoration Hymn, such as O Sacrament Most Holy
An Act of Faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist
I most firmly believe, O Jesus, that in this Holy Sacrament You are present; that here are Your Body and Blood, Your soul and Your divinity. I believe that You, my Savior, true God and true Man, are really here, with all Your treasures; that here You communicate Yourself to us, make us partakers of the fruit of Your Passion, and give us a pledge of eternal life. I believe there cannot be a greater happiness than to receive You in the state of sanctifying grace, nor a greater misery than to receive You in the state of mortal sin. All this I most steadfastly believe, because it is what You have taught us by Your Church. Amen.
A Prayer of Eucharistic Reparation
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.
Intentions for the Holy Hour
Lord God, at this time we beg your loving care and protection for:
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis
Archbishop Samuel Aquila and Bishop Jorge Rodriguez and all Bishops throughout the world
All Priests who minister within the Archdiocese of Denver and all Priests throughout the World
All Missionaries laboring in the United States and abroad
All Priests and Religious who are discouraged or at the point of giving up
All Priests who left the active ministry
All Deceased Priests
All Seminarians, that they may persevere in their vocations
All Families, where holy vocations are born
(Add personal intentions in silence)
Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal High Priest, you offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the cross
and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave your priestly people a share in your redeeming sacrifice.
Hear our prayer for the sanctification of our priests.
Grant that all who are ordained to the ministerial priesthood may be ever more conformed to you, the Divine Master.
May they preach the Gospel with pure heart and clear conscience.
Let them be shepherds according to your own heart, single-minded in service to you and to the Church,
and shining examples of a holy, simple, and joyful life.
Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Mother and ours,
draw all priests and the flocks entrusted to their care to the fullness of eternal life where you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Pope Benedict XVI
Meditative Prayer, such as
◊ A reading from Sacred Scripture, followed by silent meditation
◊ Holy Rosary
◊ Chaplet of Divine Mercy
◊ The reading of the life of one of the spiritual mothers for priests, taken from the “Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity” booklet
Silent Prayer
◊ Tell Me about everything and know that this will give Me great joy…with childlike simplicity talk to Me about everything, for My ears and heart are inclined towards you, and your words are dear to Me” (Diary of St. Faustina #921).
◊ (Short prayer suggestions) – “Jesus, I love You!”, “Jesus, I surrender myself to You; take care of everything!”, “Jesus, I trust in You!”, “Jesus, Mary, I love You, save souls!”
◊ (Short meditation suggestion) – St. Ignatius of Loyola’s prayer: Anima Christi
Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
(Make a silent commitment to Jesus to become holy for the sake of the Sanctification of Priests)
Concluding Prayer
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; you 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.
— St. Faustina
Concluding Hymn, such as Holy God We Praise Thy Name or Ave Maria
Acts of Reparation for Clergy, Vocations, Church
The brightest ornaments in the crown of the blessed in heaven
are the sufferings which they have borne patiently on earth.
– St. Alphonsus Liguori
Offerings for Clergy, Vocations, and / or Church might include:
- Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
- Holy Communion
- Adoration / Holy Hours (consider 1 per week or 1 per month)
- Pray the Rosary
- 3pm Hour of Mercy with Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy Chaplet, or silent meditation on Christ’s Passion
- Fasting / Daily or weekly self denial
Acts of Charity
- Ask how you can be of service.
- Volunteer for a Liturgical Ministry
- Offer meals, grocery shopping, gift cards for meals out, etc.
- Mail or email a thank you note to your priest/deacon for a homily that greatly inspired you, or his ministry as priest / deacon.
- Remember your priest/deacon with a card and a note of thanksgiving on their ordination anniversaries, or schedule a potluck celebration in their honor.
- Celebrate world day of prayer for priests each year with a special celebration for your priests.
- Organize interviews on your local radio/tv station for your priests who have a special story of ministry to share with the local community.
- Look for opportunities for our Priests to share their call to the priesthood with groups of young men.
- Have a community gathering in the local parish hall to celebrate world day of prayer for priests.
- Invite a priest to dinner, a recreational outing, or to join your family for holiday meal.
- Present your priest with the gift of a pilgrimage or retreat.
- Offer your services as repairman, laundry services, errand runner, etc.
Spiritual Motherhood Resources
Every vocation to the priesthood comes from the heart of God, but it passes through the heart of a mother. – St. Pius X
Petition for a New Springtime of Spiritual Motherhood
Eternal Father, we ardently implore You to sound the trumpet, proclaiming a new springtime of spiritual motherhood of priests. We ask You to graciously make fruitful this initiative of the Church that calls for spreading spiritual maternity of priests, which will help bring forth an increase of vocations and the greater sanctification of all priests. Through the heart of Mary, send forth to all women an invitation to respond to the cry of Christ’s Bride with prayers and sacrifices for priests, which will prepare them as agents of the New Evangelization. Through a new springtime of spiritual maternity of priests, let the Church grow in holiness, endure persecution, and mature in virtue, divine charity, and mercy. Let the Holy Spirit carry the cry of Christ’s Bride to women in all nations, so that together we may cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Grant that priests who are the head of the Body may be supported by the prayers and sacrifices of many spiritual mothers as they prepare the way of the Lord. (Praying for Priests: A Mission for the New Evangelization by Kathleen Beckman)
Spiritual Fatherhood Resources
- Foundation of Prayer for Priests on Spiritual Fatherhood
- Spiritual Fatherhood: Prayers, Reflections, and Homilies
- Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer) : APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II
ON THE PERSON AND MISSION OF SAINT JOSEPH IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST AND OF THE CHURCH
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 to whom they have ministered
be here below their joy and consolation
and in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown.
O Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us;
obtain for us many holy priests. Amen.
— St. Therese of Lisieux
Hail Mary, full of grace when asked by the angel to bear the Son of the Most High,
filled with faith, you responded, “Let it be done unto me. “
Holy Mother of the Good Shepard, intercede to the Lord of the harvest
to send more laborers to our world in need.
Let the Word of your Son be made flesh anew in the lives of young men
anxious to proclaim the good news of everlasting life.
And dear Mother Mary, help me in all my physical and spiritual needs, especially
(in silence of your heart mention your intentions).
Hold me close, and help me grow in the hope and love of your Son, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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