Prayer to the Virgin Mary for Priests John Paul II
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for Priests John Paul II)
O Mary,
Mother of Jesus Christ and Mother of priests,
accept this title which we bestow on you
to celebrate your motherhood
and to contemplate with you the priesthood
of, your Son and of your sons,
O holy Mother of God.
O Mother of Christ,
to the Messiah-priest you gave a body of flesh
through the anointing of the Holy Spirit
for the salvation of the poor and the contrite of heart;
guard priests in your heart and in the Church,
O Mother of the Savior.
O Mother of Faith,
you accompanied to the Temple the Son of Man,
the fulfillment of the promises given to the fathers;
give to the Father for his glory
the priests of your Son,
O Ark of the Covenant.
O Mother of the Church,
in the midst of the disciples in the upper room
you prayed to the Spirit
for the new people and their shepherds;
obtain for the Order of Presbyters
a full measure of gifts,
O Queen of the Apostles.
O Mother of Jesus Christ,
you were with him at the beginning
of his life and mission,
you sought the Master among the crowd,
you stood beside him when he was lifted up from the earth
consumed as the one eternal sacrifice,
and you had John, your son, near at hand;
accept from the beginning those who have been called,
protect their growth,
in their life ministry accompany your sons,
O Mother of Priests.
Amen.
Source: [John Paul II, conclusion of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Pastores dabo vobis" on the formation of priests in the circumstances of the present day, March 25, 1992:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031992_pastores-dabo-vobis_en.html]
Congregation for the Clergy, Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_31011994_direct_en.html
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7. Prayer for Priests
1. Father, show your tender love to your priests, these "religious leaders" who risk to make the sacred commonplace.
2. Inspire them with a deep sense of your Mystery which they touch, and about which they speak.
3. May they always remember that you have created all things in your image and likeness; that everything has in itself a divine spark; that all things come from you as their source and will return to you as their definitive and eternal destination.
4. When preaching or praying they say words which they do not entirely understand; when blessing, forgiving, consecrating they do things of which they have no power in themselves. May your priests always be mindful that they act in your name, that the power they exercise comes from you alone and not from themselves.
5. Grant them the gift of humility in their service; may they be strong in faith, firm in hope, perfect in love, holy in you and sanctifying for your People.
6. You have given to your priests a sacred vocation; purify them, sanctify them, strengthen them.
7. You have made them representatives of your only Son Jesus and given them responsibilities towards your People, the Church; support them with your strength.
8. May they always be aware that you are with them and act in them. May they be your instruments of love, reconciliation, spiritual renewal, sanctification.
9. Your priests are human, weak, and sinners like all other people. You knew it even before you called them to your service. Nevertheless, you destined them in their place in your plan of love; be always with your chosen ones and help them.
10. May the gift of your grace renew them day after day. May your holy angel guard and protect them.
11. Bestow on them the joy of the Holy Spirit, to be a prophetic voice in the world, to guide your People, to speak the words of the Good News of your kingdom, to dispense the grace of the New Covenant, to provide spiritual freedom, to be canals of your divine mercy, pathways of your love and tenderness, collaborators of the eternal High Priest.
12. Make them men of prayer, commitment, adoration, intimacy with you, men who act under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, stimulators on the way to salvation.
13. I pray to you, Father, through Jesus the Messiah and in the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen.
(Francis de Ruijte, April 3, 2003, at the eve of my 39th anniversary of ordination; translated by the author, April 14, 2003)
O Mary,
Mother of Jesus Christ and Mother of priests,
accept this title which we bestow on you
to celebrate your motherhood
and to contemplate with you the priesthood
of, your Son and of your sons,
O holy Mother of God.
O Mother of Christ,
to the Messiah-priest you gave a body of flesh
through the anointing of the Holy Spirit
for the salvation of the poor and the contrite of heart;
guard priests in your heart and in the Church,
O Mother of the Savior.
O Mother of Faith,
you accompanied to the Temple the Son of Man,
the fulfillment of the promises given to the fathers;
give to the Father for his glory
the priests of your Son,
O Ark of the Covenant.
O Mother of the Church,
in the midst of the disciples in the upper room
you prayed to the Spirit
for the new people and their shepherds;
obtain for the Order of Presbyters
a full measure of gifts,
O Queen of the Apostles.
O Mother of Jesus Christ,
you were with him at the beginning
of his life and mission,
you sought the Master among the crowd,
you stood beside him when he was lifted up from the earth
consumed as the one eternal sacrifice,
and you had John, your son, near at hand;
accept from the beginning those who have been called,
protect their growth,
in their life ministry accompany your sons,
O Mother of Priests.
Amen.
Source: [John Paul II, conclusion of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Pastores dabo vobis" on the formation of priests in the circumstances of the present day, March 25, 1992:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031992_pastores-dabo-vobis_en.html]
Congregation for the Clergy, Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_31011994_direct_en.html
top
7. Prayer for Priests
1. Father, show your tender love to your priests, these "religious leaders" who risk to make the sacred commonplace.
2. Inspire them with a deep sense of your Mystery which they touch, and about which they speak.
3. May they always remember that you have created all things in your image and likeness; that everything has in itself a divine spark; that all things come from you as their source and will return to you as their definitive and eternal destination.
4. When preaching or praying they say words which they do not entirely understand; when blessing, forgiving, consecrating they do things of which they have no power in themselves. May your priests always be mindful that they act in your name, that the power they exercise comes from you alone and not from themselves.
5. Grant them the gift of humility in their service; may they be strong in faith, firm in hope, perfect in love, holy in you and sanctifying for your People.
6. You have given to your priests a sacred vocation; purify them, sanctify them, strengthen them.
7. You have made them representatives of your only Son Jesus and given them responsibilities towards your People, the Church; support them with your strength.
8. May they always be aware that you are with them and act in them. May they be your instruments of love, reconciliation, spiritual renewal, sanctification.
9. Your priests are human, weak, and sinners like all other people. You knew it even before you called them to your service. Nevertheless, you destined them in their place in your plan of love; be always with your chosen ones and help them.
10. May the gift of your grace renew them day after day. May your holy angel guard and protect them.
11. Bestow on them the joy of the Holy Spirit, to be a prophetic voice in the world, to guide your People, to speak the words of the Good News of your kingdom, to dispense the grace of the New Covenant, to provide spiritual freedom, to be canals of your divine mercy, pathways of your love and tenderness, collaborators of the eternal High Priest.
12. Make them men of prayer, commitment, adoration, intimacy with you, men who act under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, stimulators on the way to salvation.
13. I pray to you, Father, through Jesus the Messiah and in the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen.
(Francis de Ruijte, April 3, 2003, at the eve of my 39th anniversary of ordination; translated by the author, April 14, 2003)
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