Sunday in the Year for Priests

The bishop receives the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders, which integrates him into the episcopal college and makes him the visible head of the particular Church entrusted to him. As successors of the apostles and members of the college, the bishops share in the apostolic responsibility and mission of the whole Church under the authority of the Pope, successor of St. Peter.

Catechism #1594

(photo copyright-Spirit Singing)

Almighty God, look upon the face of Him who is the eternal High Priest, and have compassion on Your priests in today's world. Remember that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation. Keep them close to You lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

Official website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://www.usccb.org/

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie

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Sunday in the "Year for Priests"

All priests, who are constituted in the order of priesthood by the sacrament of Order, are bound together by an intimate sacramental brotherhood, but in a special way they form one priestly body in the diocese to which they are attached under their own bishop...

Catechism #1568

A Prayer for Priests

Almighty God, look upon the face of Him who is the eternal High Priest, and have compassion on Your priests in today's world. Remember that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation. Keep them close to You lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

O Jesus, keep them all close to Your heart and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

Excerpt from the Gold Book of Prayers

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

Saturday of Our Lady

PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

BY ST. CHARLES BORROMEO

(click on photo for link to article on "Year of the Priest")

O Holy Mother of God, pray for the priests Your Son has chosen to serve the Church. Help them by your intercession, to be holy, zealous and chaste. Make them models of virtue in the service of God's people.

Help them be pious in meditation, efficacious in preaching and zealous in the daily offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Help them administer the Sacraments with joy. Amen.

As Lay Carmelites, one of our main charisms is to pray for priests. Please visit the above link to read the Holy Father's declaration of 2009 as the "Year of the Priest." This would be a good time to incorporate some special prayer and apostolate into our local community for the upbuilding of the priesthood.

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April 18

Memorial of Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, OCD

Barbe Avrillot was born in Paris in 1566. At the age of sixteen she married Pierre Acarie, by whom she had seven children. In spite of her household duties and many hardships, she attained the heights of the mystical life. Under the influence of St. Teresa' writings, and after mystical contact with the Saint herself, she spared no effort in introducing the Discalced Carmelite nuns into France. After her husband's death, she asked to be admitted among them as a lay sister, taking the name of Mary of the Incarnation; she was professed at the Carmel of Amiens in 1615. She was esteemed by some of the greatest men of her time, including St. Francis de Sales; and she was distinguished by her spirit of prayer and her zeal for the propagation of the Catholic faith. She died at Pontoise on April 18, 1618.

(From the Carmelite Proper)

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS