Saturday, June 12, 2021

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The priests we are praying for in the Diocese of Rochester this week are:

SUNDAY 6/13            Fr. Daniel L. White
MONDAY 6/14          Fr. Mitch Zygadlo
TUESDAY 6/15          Fr. William Amann
WEDNESDAY 6/16    Fr. Anthony Amato
THURSDAY 6/17       Fr. Ronald Antinarelli
FRIDAY 6/18              Fr. Frederick Asuming
SATURDAY 6/19        Fr. Theodore Auble

Our prayer this week is a Prayer to the Sacred Heart for Priests:

Remember, O most loving Heart of Jesus, that our priests for whom we pray are those for whom You prayed so earnestly the night before Your death.  These are they to whom You look to continue with You in Your sorrows when others forsake You, who share Your griefs and have inherited Your persecutions, according to Your word: That the servant is not greater than his Lord.  Remember, O heart of Jesus, that they are the objects of the world’s hatred and Satan’s deadliest snares.  Keep them then, O Jesus, in the safe citadel of Your Sacred Heart and there let them be sanctified in truth.  May they be one with You and one among themselves, and grant that multitudes may be brought through their word to believe in You and love You.  Amen.

Have a blessed week,
Laurie

https://prayersforpriests.com/

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Special Message on this World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests

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Friday, June 11, 2021

Today we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.  It takes place each year on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in this month dedicated to His Sacred Heart.

There is no doubt that our world, our Church, is going through another period of adjustment and correction.  There are so many issues dividing us and honestly much of it comes from misunderstanding, a basic lack of knowledge of the Truth.  I believe…I need to believe…that the laity really do want to know what the Church teaches, what She has taught for almost 2000 years.  Knowing that truth, believing that truth, could resolve so many of the issues.

We need strong faithful priests and bishops who are willing to speak and teach that truth to us.  A phrase that comes to mind is “unapologetic apologetics”.  We deserve it.  Ven. Abp. Fulton J. Sheen knew it.  Many of our current bishops and priests know it.  But sadly, many do not.

This time in history provides a unique opportunity for us.  Here in the United States, our Conference of Catholic Bishops is holding its General Assembly from June 16-18.  My prayer is that they use this time to go back to our Truth.  Come out of the meeting with a message that honors the infallible teaching of Holy Mother Church, unwavering in its meaning and significance.  All of the wavering and compromise has left many wondering what the truth of the teaching is, or at least unsure of their ability to speak it with boldness.  Well, I refuse.  I will not fail to speak my faith with boldness.  It is similar to disciplining a child.  If he never gets a consistent message, and consistent consequences for challenging what he is taught, he will never learn what is expected of him.  And trying to reinforce the teachings becomes much harder and takes much longer.  He never really has a chance to learn from his history.

A priest recently spoke in his homily about the fact that, if we don’t learn from our history, we are bound to repeat it.  He’s right.  We need to learn.  Erasing our history because someone finds it problematic means we cannot learn from it.

It also means that “everything that’s old is new again”.  The challenges that we as a global Catholic Church are now facing are things we’ve faced before.  And we overcame them, thanks in large part to priests who were willing to die to teach us the truths of our faith.

I’ve been listening to a song recently by Fr. Bill Quinlivan from the Diocese of Buffalo.  It is entitled “Mass Rocks”, and speaks so powerfully about one such time in our history, though certainly not the only one.  I’ve included the full lyrics and a link to the song at the end of this message with his permission.  Let me just quote part of one verse here:  “… recall penal times and tears.  Teach each generation this history and the legacy of those years.”  Teach us, but teach us the truth worth dying for.  Don’t water it down.  Don’t cave to pressures that want the Church to change it.  Own it.  We are praying for you because we know this road is hard.

Lord, we pray for the Church, that it may always be faithful to the gospel.  Amen.

May God bless you all,
Laurie

https://prayersforpriests.com/

Find Fr. Bill Quinlivan at https://frbillsings.com/

For more information about the Mass rocks:
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/ireland-s-mass-rocks-are-becoming-popular-again
https://www.irishcatholic.com/upon-these-rocks
https://ahrc.ukri.org/research/readwatchlisten/features/mass-rocks/

Mass Rocks, by Fr. Bill Quinlivan (https://youtu.be/InZchMxcveE)

REFRAIN
To the Mass rocks came the priest for the holy sacrifice in persecuted years.  And though they faced great danger sure, faith came sailing through tidal waves of fear.  Our Church was suppressed by an enemy but our mighty God has a higher law.  And while sentinels stood to keep people safe, much heroic faith lived out is what they saw.

Contented with all our blessings, should days be full of peace, please do not forget the bravery of the best of Irish priests.  Today if you’re timing their homilies, recall penal times and tears.  Teach each generation this history and the legacy of those years!

Refrain

They met their people in the field to share the Eucharistic feast.  Beaten, betrayed and exiled too, somehow zeal and hope increased!  They stayed in lonely hiding places, camouflaged, in disguise.  They risked their lives to pastor flocks, servants proven to be prudent and wise.

Refrain

To the Mass rocks came the priest.”

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Sunday, June 6, 2021

I had the profound joy of attending as a friend and one of his fellow deacons were ordained to the priesthood this weekend.  What hope it gave me to see the continuation of apostolic succession, especially on this weekend when we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.  We know that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, and without priests we would have no Eucharist.  Jesus Himself promised us that He would be with us always.  He fulfills this promise by giving us priests to be other Christs to us.

Please send me the names and dates of ordination of any new priests in your dioceses and I will happily add them to our prayer list.

The priests we are praying for in the Diocese of Rochester this week are:

SUNDAY 6/6               Pope Francis
MONDAY 6/7              Fr. Walter Wainwright
TUESDAY 6/8             Fr. Matthew Walter
WEDNESDAY 6/9       Fr. Walter Cushing
THURSDAY 6/10        Fr. Eugene Weis
FRIDAY 6/11               Fr. Thomas Wheeland
SATURDAY 6/12         Fr. Daniel E. White

Our prayer this week is adapted from the texts of the Solemn Mass of Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  May we all hold this prayer in our hearts for our priests, especially those recently ordained.  For all of you priests, think back to the day of your own ordination, and remember these words as they were prayed for you that day:

Hear us we beseech You Lord, our God, and pour out on these servants of Yours a blessing of the Holy Spirit and the power of priestly grace that those whom in the sight of Your Mercy we offer to be consecrated, may be surrounded by Your rich and unfailing gifts, through Christ our Lord.

Draw near O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, Author of human dignity.  It is You who apportion all graces.  Through You everything progresses.  Through You all things are made to stand firm.  Grant we pray, Almighty God, to these your servants the dignity of the priesthood.  Renew deep within them the spirit of holiness.  By the example of their manner of life may they instill right conduct.  May they be faithful stewards of Your mysteries so that Your people may be renewed in the waters of rebirth and nourished from your altar, so that sinners may be reconciled and the sick raised up.  May they implore Your mercy for the people entrusted to their care, and for all the world.

May the Lord Jesus Christ who the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, guard and preserve them, that they may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God.  O God, Who have willed that Your priests should remain at the holy altar and serve Your people, grant by the power of this sacrifice we pray that the labors of Your servants may constantly please You and in Your Church bear fruit that lasts forever, through Christ our Lord.

By the anointing of the Holy Spirit You made Your only begotten Son High Priest of the new and eternal covenant, by Your wondrous design were pleased to decree that this one priesthood should continue in the Church.  For Christ not only adorned with the holy priesthood the people He has made His own, but with a brother’s kindness He also chooses men to become sharers in His sacred ministry through the laying on of hands.  They are to renew in his name the sacrifice of human redemption, to set before Your children the paschal banquet, to lead Your people in charity, to nourish them with the Word, and strengthen them with the sacraments.  As they give up their lives for You and for the salvation of their brothers and sisters, they strive to be conformed to the image of Christ Himself and offer You a constant witness of faith and love.

Have a blessed week,
Laurie

https://prayersforpriests.com/

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Great News!

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

I’m glad that this is an off week Wednesday. Some great news was released this morning.

Venerable Fulton J Sheen is scheduled to be beatified on December 21, 2019!

The beatification ceremony will take place at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria, Illinois.

Here are links to two articles about the beatification:

https://www.pjstar.com/news/20191118/vatican-approves-beatification-of-fulton-sheen

https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/11/19/venerable-fulton-sheen-to-be-beatified-in-december/

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An Invitation

We would like to invite you to join us in praying for all of our priests and clergy.  Please feel free to forward this to any others that you think may want to participate.  Regardless of how you heard about us, please send a text to (607)259-1529 or an email to prayers4priests@gmail.com if you are interested in joining us. I’ll be sending an email or text at least weekly with prayers, novenas, etc., so let me know how you would prefer to receive notifications

We are a small informal prayer group made up of faithful Catholics, praying for the sanctification of our Church and our clergy, both here and abroad.  We are doing this in a few different ways.

We will be praying a series of novenas, beginning every other Wednesday.  I’ll send a notification for each one.

Some of us will be fasting on Thursdays for our priests.  It would also be wonderful if some of us could get together once a month to pray a Rosary or a Divine Mercy Chaplet.  We could consider sending cards of encouragement and gratitude to our local priests for their day on the calendar as well.
We are open to any and all suggestions that will help strengthen our Church and our current priests, and will increase new vocations to the priesthood.


Let the praying begin!
God bless,
Laurie Desmarais & Elena Cambio

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The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining us!
Please be patient as we begin our journey of praying for our priests.
Wherever two or more are gathered (even if it is a virtual gathering),
Jesus is with us.

 

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