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.

Thursday's with Saint Rita of Cascia

image

(My apologies on being a day late. A friend needed a baby sitter last minute yesterday so I was busy busy with children all day and night!:)

For the introductory prayers and other information on this devotion go HERE.

THIRD THURSDAY

St. Rita's Life-Education by Image and Example

We know nothing very precise about the education the Lotti gave their daughter. One simply cannot give what one does not have. At the time of the Lotti the poor were probably unlettered. The great book of images that children studied was the church of their village. Pictures, paintings, statues, stained glass windows, all helped to excite their minds and hearts...Child that she was, Rita did not have eyes enough for the many wonders mother Lotti explained to her....In the Bible and the legends (of the saints) Rita quenched her thirst for religious knowledge. One "book" nevertheless, topped them all: the Crucifix, the imposing Crucifix of so many Italian Churches. It taught the child everything: love of Jesus, hatred of sin, and the spirit of Penance.


Reflection: Importance of A Catholic Education

There is a great difference between Rita's education and the education of most children today. Times have changed, for sure. In our day it would be unthinkable to let a child remain unlettered. Children need to be educated....However, it is regrettable that too many parents insist on their children's instruction in matters that concern their future earthly destiny and neglect their children's religious education, which they regard as of little importance...Christian parents must understand that one of their principal duties is to provide for the religious education of their children....our little ones should always receive at home their first Christian Education.


Closing Prayer

O St. Rita, you had the great happiness of being brought up by truly religious parents. Raise up among us many parents like yours. Let their Principal care be to lead their children to Jesus. Let them be aware of their responsibility and have all the understanding and all the tact they need to fulfill this role. Humbly ask the Holy Spirit to help mothers be solicitous for the faith and generosity of their children. Let our little ones learn to be unselfish and devoted to others. let our teenagers be resolved to do their best, and let them be guided by a true love for Jesus. May our Lord help them to remain upright and pure in a world that is not. The temptations they will face are so many and so great that their perseverance will seem at times to be compromised. O saint of the most difficult cases, help the parents of today to educate the Catholic of tomorrow. Amen.


Just for Fun, go HERE for a wealth of St. Rita devotional materials, including statues, medals, books etc.

Book Review: Magnificat-May 2009

I was lucky enough to get sent a copy of the Magnificant from the Catholic Company last month. This book is one that you subscribe to and receive a different issue on a monthly basis. It contains all the Mass readings for the month. If you are a daily mass attendee I would recommend this book, however I would also recommended this book if you are maybe just someone who desires to attend daily mass but cannot make it so often.



The book is laid on wonderfully, with the beginning including some short article and meditations to think of for the month. You will also find a wealth of prayers including litanies and novenas that are applicable to the current month and hymns too. Then, each day doesn't just include the daily mass readings, but also includes morning and evenings prayers, and a selection on the saint of the day. To top it all off, the cover page is always just so beautiful, worth framing in fact! When I saw our blessed mother on the cover of the Magnificant it definitely stirred in me a desire to pray and to ask her intercession. A very Holy subscription that, if followed along with, I'm sure would help increase your faith.