Criticism of Priests

Excerpt from the Pieta Prayer Book (Our Lord's revelations to Mutter Vogel):

"One should NEVER attack a priest, even when he's in error, rather one should ray and do penance that I'll grant him My grace again. He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn't live after My example!

"When a Priest falls we should extend him a helping hand through prayer and not through attacks! I myself will be his judge, no one but I! Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over me; child, never let a Priest be attacked, take up his defense. Child, never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every Thursday, through the hands of My Blessed Mother, Holy Communion (for Him). Never again accept an out-of-the-way word about a priest, and speak no unkind word (about them). Even it were TRUE! Every Priest is My vicar and My Heart will be sickened and insulted because of it~ If you hear a judgment (against a Priest) pray a Hail Mary."

"If you see a Priest who celebrates the Holy Mass unworthily then say nothing about him, rather tell it to Me alone! I stand beside Him on the altar! Oh pray much for my priests, that they'll love purity above all, that they'll celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with pure hands and heart. Certainly the Holy Sacrifice is one and the same even when it's celebrated by an unworthy priest, but the graces called down upon the people is not the same!"

A Relaxing Summer and Lots of Reading!

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Ahhh...it's been a nice couple of weeks. Taking extra time to hang out with the family, traveling some, crafting, tinkering around the house, and doing LOTS of spiritual reading. For me, it is priceless to take the time for spiritual reading everyday, even during this season of life when it is sometimes quite difficult to get away to read with small children. The 20 minutes I reserve daily for this purpose is just that special time for me to study and nourish my faith. At first it seemed that getting the children occupied with reading or other games so that I could accomplish my spiritual reading was depriving them of attention. In reality though, taking this small daily retreat for myself makes me a more patient and loving mother for the rest of the day than if I didn't do it! Take a look at my side bar to see what I have been reading this past week!

I hope everyone is having a great summer!

Pope explains Year for Priests: To Rediscover the Essence of Ministry

VATICAN CITY, 24 JUN 2009 (VIS) - During today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope focused his remarks on the Year for Priests which he inaugurated last Friday, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and day of prayer for the sanctification of the clergy, and which is intended to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney.

"Why a Year for Priests?" the Pope asked. "And why should it recall the holy 'Cure of Ars' who apparently did nothing out of the ordinary?"

The Holy Father went on to explain how "Divine Providence ordained that the figure [of St. John May Vianney] should be associated with that of St. Paul" because, "although the two saints followed very different life paths, ... these exists nonetheless a fundamental factor that unites them: their total identification with their ministry, their communion with Christ".

"The aim of this Year for Priests", he went on, "is to support each priest's struggle towards spiritual perfection, 'upon which the effectiveness of his ministry particularly depends', and to help priests, and with them the entire People of God, to rediscover and revive an awareness of the extraordinary and indispensable gift of Grace which the ordained ministry represents, for the person who receives it, for the entire Church, and for the world which would be lost without the real presence of Christ".

Interesting article...go HERE to read the complete version from our Holy Father.

Quotes

"Have no fear, all is arranged and controlled by My Love." - Our Lord to Sister Josefa Menedez, from The Way of Divine Love.

"We ought to have a clear understanding of what the dogma of the Mystical Body permits and even commands in our particular circumstances of life. Once we are convinced of our duty, we should go to the limit in our Christ-life. We are not here merely to serve God and save our own souls; we are bound to save our neighbor. This point is very important. How can anyone work effectively for the salvation and sanctification of his neighbor unless he uses the most saving and most sanctifying means; sacrifice.?" -from "Progress in Divine Union," by Father Raoul Plus, S.J.

Year for Priests Begins!

Pope Benedict XVI has declared a “Year for Priests” beginning with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 19, 2009. The year will end in Rome on June 19, 2010.

Also, with the announcement of this Year for Priests, the Pope has declared St. John Vianney the Universal Patron of Priests on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of the Curé d’Ars.

What else can I say other than I am very excited about this! I am excited for the opportunity to visit and help our dear priests. I am also excited to teach my boys during this year (well at least the oldest will be able to understand:) everything about the priesthood, and what a gift it is, not just for the men who become priests, but for the faithful people that they patiently guide.

Most of all, I am excited to spend more of the next year in prayer for our dear, dear Fathers. They need our prayers so much! Think of the temptations that they must go through! They bring Christ to so many people, I'm sure the evil one isn't happy about that. Their blessed hands are consecrated for just this purpose! But priests are human, just like all of us, and they need support and companionship and love. I hope and pray to see some kind of a renewal, especially amongst us mothers, in the church of taking better care of our beloved priests,getting more involved in their lives, and just being available always to help them in any way we can, even making sacrifices for them! Think about it, without our Holy priests, we would all be so lost and have nothing, because they bring us Jesus in the Eucharist!

To start the year off, here are some links that I gathered about the 2009 Year for Priests:

Go HERE to find that the USCCB has a site filled with information about this special year. Also, HERE is a direct link at the USCCB where you can find FREE printable prayers pertaining to the year for priest.

A great article, by Cardinal Justin Rigali on the Year for Priests and St. John Vianney.


And a blog dedicated to this year in 2009 for priests.

A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord, Keep them, for they are Thine-
Thy priests whose lives burn out before they consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world, Through from the world apart;
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure,- shelter them in Thy Heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours of loneliness and pain.
When all their life of sacrifice for souls seems but in vain.
Keep them, and O remember, Lord they have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts, with human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host, that daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed, deign, dearest Lord, to bless.