It has certainly been a bit difficult to focus on prayer these days, for all of us. Although we believe that God has a greater plan for our purification, who among us doesn’t want this to end? The sad truth is that many of us have lost jobs. Our priests have lost many aspects of their ministry, too, but for them, it’s not simply a job but a vocation. Their vocation is who they are, rather than a way to make a living or a set of tasks to perform. They are ordained by a bishop in an unbroken line of Apostolic succession all the way back to Jesus’ Apostles. When they perform the sacraments, they are in persona Christi. We can never understand fully how this must be for them, to be hindered in carrying out their ministries, being Christ’s representatives as shepherds of His flock. Let’s continue to pray for our priests’ mental and emotional health, and for a renewal of their own vocations in this time. Let us also pray that those men who are being called by God to the vocation of priesthood will hear and say “yes” to Him.
Our ministry has expanded to include priests not only in the Diocese of Rochester but elsewhere. Please click here to see if your Diocese is listed. If it is not and you would like it to be, please contact us. This week’s Diocese of Rochester priests are:
SUNDAY 5/17 Inactive & Sabbatical Priests
MONDAY 5/18 Fr. William Cosgrove
TUESDAY 5/19 Fr. Michael Costik
WEDNESDAY 5/20 Fr. Charles Curran
THURSDAY 5/21 Basilian Fathers
FRIDAY 5/22 Fr. Donald Curtiss
SATURDAY 5/23 Fr. Bernard Dollen
Our prayer this week is adapted from the vesting prayers found in the 1962 Roman Missal. The Vatican website has a great reference for more information about these very specific prayers.
Give strength to the hands of our beloved priests, Lord, to wipe away all stain, so that they may be able to serve Thee in purity of mind and body. Set the helmet of salvation on their heads to fend off all the assaults of the devil. Make them clean, O Lord, and purify their hearts; that being made white in the Blood of the Lamb they may deserve an eternal reward. Gird them, O Lord, with the cincture of purity, and quench in their hearts the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may abide in them. May they deserve, O Lord, to bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow in order that they may joyfully reap the reward of their labors. Lord, restore the stole of immortality, which they have lost through the collusion of our first parents, and, unworthy as they are to approach Thy sacred mysteries, may they yet gain eternal joy. O Lord, who has said, “My yoke is sweet and My burden light,” grant that they may so carry it as to merit Thy grace. Amen.
Have a blessed week,
Elena & Laurie
