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Saturday December 28, 2019
In this octave of Christmas, our priests this week are:
SUNDAY 12/29 Carsen Martensen
MONDAY 12/30 Michael Mayer
TUESDAY 12/31 Joseph McCaffrey
WEDNESDAY 1/1 William McGrath
THURSDAY 1/2 Daniel McMullin
FRIDAY 1/3 Vocations & Seminarians
SATURDAY 1/4 Bishop Salvatore Matano
And our prayer for all priests, especially now at Christmas:
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, give all priests Thy spirit of humility;
Jesus, poor and worn out for souls, give all priests Thy spirit of zeal;
Jesus, full of patience and mercy for sinners, give all priests Thy spirit of compassion;
Jesus, victim for the sins of the world, give all priests Thy spirit of sacrifice;
Jesus, lover of the little and the poor, give all priests Thy spirit of charity.
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us and obtain for us numerous and holy priests and religious. Amen.
Have a happy (and safe) New Year,
Laurie & Elena
http://prayersforpriests.com
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Sunday, December 22, 2019
He’s almost here! Emmanuel!
Our priests for this week are:
SUNDAY 12/22 All Missionaries
MONDAY 12/23 Bernard Maloney
TUESDAY 12/24 Kevin Mannara
WEDNESDAY 12/25 All Deacons
THURSDAY 12/26 Leo Mans
FRIDAY 12/27 Kevin McKenna
SATURDAY 12/28 Joseph Marcoux
And our prayer:
O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge! Give us holy priests to guide us.
O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power! Help our priests to live by your commands.
O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay! Equip all priests to hear confessions with both mercy and firmness.
O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness! Let all priests revel in the joy and freedom of a life spent in service to you.
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. When their time on this earth is done, let them see your heavenly glory.
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust! May they turn from treasures of the world and look forward to their treasures laid up in your kingdom.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God! Come, Lord Jesus!
Felicem Domini Nativitatis diem,
(“Happy be the day of our Lord’s nativity!”)
Elena & Laurie
https://prayersforpriests.com
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Saturday, December 14, 2019
Blessed Gaudete Sunday everyone!
Our priests for this week are:
SUNDAY 12/15 Inactive & Sabbatical
MONDAY 12/16 James Lawlor
TUESDAY 12/17 Steven Lape
WEDNESDAY 12/18 Christopher Linsler
THURSDAY 12/19 Frank Lioi
FRIDAY 12/29 John Loncle
SATURDAY 12/21 Robert MacNamara
And our prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus! We thank you for the gift of our holy priests. May they joyfully shepherd us as we celebrate your first coming in the Incarnation and look forward to your return in glory. Amen.
Pax,
Elena & Laurie
https://prayersforpriests.com/
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Sunday, December 8, 2019
I can hardly believe this! This week we will have prayed for each priest in the diocese through this ministry. On Friday, we start through the list again.
Our priests for this week are:
SUNDAY 12/8 Winfred Kellner
MONDAY 12/9 Dennis Billy
TUESDAY 12/10 Gerard Krieg
WEDNESDAY 12/11 Scott Kubinski
THURSDAY 12/12 William Laird
FRIDAY 12/13 William Leone
SATURDAY 12/14 Charles Lotus
Our prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray
~ for all priests who are ordained to serve our Church, that their ministry may be fruitful and appreciated by the people whom they serve,
~ for the gift of vocations to the ordained priesthood, that good men may be drawn to love and to serve the People of God,
~ for retired priests, that they may experience God’s abundant love as they walk a new path of prayer and servanthood in retirement,
~ that we may never take the presence of our priests for granted, as we cherish the celebration of the Mass and are nourished by the Eucharist,
~ for all priests who struggle with loneliness, declining health, or loss of mobility, that they may be comforted by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
~ that we the lay faithful may always embrace our priests, and sustain their ministry by our love, our constant prayer, and our trust in their leadership,
~ for priests who now sleep in peace of the resurrection, and for those who may die this year or this day, that God lead them gently into their eternal reward.
We pray all this in Jesus Name. Amen.
Have a peaceful second week of Advent!
Laurie & Elena
https://prayersforpriests.com/
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Saturday, November 30, 2019
So, has everyone recovered from their Thanksgiving feast yet? I hope so. Advent starts tomorrow, giving us a wonderful opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. Let’s begin Advent by thanking God for our priests, and praying He will strengthen them for the season.
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 12/1 Pope Francis
MONDAY 12/2 Robert Kennedy
TUESDAY 12/3 Roy Kiggins
WEDNESDAY 12/4 Stephen Kraus
THURSDAY 12/5 Vocations & Seminarians
FRIDAY 12/6 Robert Kreckel
SATURDAY 12/7 Bishop Salvatore Matano
Our prayer this week is Psalm 116:
1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”
12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;
I serve you just as my mother did;
you have freed me from my chains.
17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—
in your midst, Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.
It’s a little long, but does that not sound like the call and response of priesthood?
Have a blessed start to Advent!
Laurie & Elena
https://prayersforpriests.com/
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Saturday, November 23, 2019
A blessed Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe to all, and happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 11/24 All Deacons
MONDAY 11/25 Timothy Horan
TUESDAY 11/26 James Jaeger
WEDNESDAY 11/27 Francis Jones
THURSDAY 11/28 Matthew Jones
FRIDAY 11/29 Stanley Kacprzak
SATURDAY 11/30 Stephen Karani
Our prayer for this week:
O God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son to be the eternal High Priest for the glory of Thy Majesty and the salvation of mankind; grant that they whom He hath chosen to be His ministers and the stewards of His mysteries, may be found faithful in the fulfillment of the ministry which they have received. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Pax,
Elena & Laurie
https://prayersforpriests.com/
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Saturday, November 16, 2019
Happy Saturday!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 11/17 Frederick Helfrich
MONDAY 11/18 James Hewes
TUESDAY 11/19 George Heyman
WEDNESDAY 11/20 Daniel Holland
THURSDAY 11/21 Hoan Dinh
FRIDAY 11/22 Lance Gonyo
SATURDAY 11/23 All Missionaries
Did you know that the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary are dedicated to praying for vocations to the priesthood? For our prayer this week, let’s pray a rosary using these mysteries each day for new vocations and for the strengthening of vocations of priests throughout the world.
Have a great week,
Laurie & Elena
http://prayersforpriests.com
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Monday, November 11, 2019
Happy Veterans’ Day
On this Veterans Day here in the United States, we ask that you take a
moment to pray for all priests who have served, are serving, or will
serve as chaplains to our Armed Forces. They put themselves in the
line of fire in support of our military men and women.
If you are among those who have fulfilled this role, we thank you for
your service.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
It is officially chilly here in the northeast corner of the US. It was less than 20 degrees out this morning. I even had to put a sweater on. I certainly feel bad for those of you who don’t like the cold!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 11/10 Paul Gitau
MONDAY 11/11 Edward Golden
TUESDAY 11/12 Inactive & Sabbatical Priests
WEDNESDAY 11/13 William Graf
THURSDAY 11/14 Joseph Hart
FRIDAY 11/15 John Hayes
SATURDAY 11/16 John Healy
And our prayer this week comes from mycatholic.life, adapted to be
prayed for our priests:
Prayer to Jesus Christ
Most beloved Jesus, with a singular benevolence you have called them
from among thousands of men to follow you in the excellence of
priestly dignity. I beg you to grant them divine strength to rightly
fulfill their ministry. I implore you, Lord Jesus, to daily renew the
grace given to them through the imposition of the hands of the Bishop.
O most powerful doctor of souls, heal them so that they may not fall
back into evil, that they may flee from every sin, and that they may
do what is pleasing in your eyes until the hour of their death. Amen
Have a great week everybody!
Laurie & Elena
https://prayersforpriests.com/
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Saturday, November 2, 2019
We often remember to pray for our priests who minister in areas of conflicts, but we often overlook the possible harms they face during a normal day. On this feast of All Souls Day, we’d like to pray in a special way for Fr. John Thomas Connery who was swept away in flood waters in upstate New York on Thursday evening as he was driving to a parish church to celebrate Mass on All Saints Day. We pray for Fr. Connery, and for all those whom we love but see no longer. Grant to them eternal rest. Let perpetual light shine upon them. May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
This week’s priests:
SUNDAY 11/3 Pope Francis
MONDAY 11/4 Michael Fowler
TUESDAY 11/5 Ralph Fraats
WEDNESDAY 11/6 Ronald Gaesser
THURSDAY 11/7 Vocations & Seminarians
FRIDAY 11/8 John Gagnier
SATURDAY 11/9 John Gathenya
Our prayer this week is a Daily Prayer for a Priest, from nunsforpriests.org:
Lord Jesus, live in all priests and help them truly appreciate their unique oneness with you so that they shall never crave for more or less than just yourself and your love forever.
Grant Father the grace to seek for no greater joy than your love and the privilege of bringing it to others.
Grant to me, an ever-deepening reverence of your priesthood. And when death ends my life here on earth, may you, the Eternal High Priest, reveal to me in the Beatific Vision the consolation everlasting of having prayed and sacrificed for your priests here on earth.
Amen
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Saturday, October 26, 2019
We’ve had a couple of weeks of some fairly lengthy prayers, so this week we’ll keep it short.
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 10/27 Inactive & Sabbatical Priests
MONDAY 10/28 Terence Fleming
TUESDAY 10/29 Raymond Fleming
WEDNESDAY 10/30 Jesus Flores-Rivera
THURSDAY 10/31 John Forni
FRIDAY 11/1 Deceased Priests
SATURDAY 11/2 Bishop Salvatore Matano
Our prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, You love Your church and those called to share Your priesthood! With our love and prayers, we join You in asking our Heavenly Father to continue to pour out His gifts of holiness, compassion and zeal on your priests everywhere. Inspire each of them to offer his life as an “Ambassador of Christ”, bringing reconciliation and healing to the world.
Mary, Mother of all Priests, inspire us to live in peace and joy and pray this prayer with us. Amen.
Have a blessed week,
Elena and Laurie
https://prayersforpriests.com
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Saturday, October 19, 2019
Happy Saturday afternoon everyone!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 10/20 Francis Erb
MONDAY 10/21 Thomas Erdle
TUESDAY 10/22 Frank Falletta
WEDNESDAY 10/23 Richard Farrell
THURSDAY 10/24 James Fennessy
FRIDAY 10/25 Deceased Priests
SATURDAY 10/26 John Firpo
Our prayer, or maybe reflection is a better word, is from Ven. Fulton J. Sheen in his book, The Priest Is Not His Own:
Referring to Isaiah, Bishop Fulton Sheen reminds priests they are watchmen “who have been put on the walls of the Church by the High priest. What we are,” he says, “the Church is, and what the Church is, the world is.” Because of this, Bishop Sheen lets priests know that many trials will arise for them, and advises:
“When trials arise, we must beg the faithful to fight with us through their prayers. A measure of the value we set on prayer is the insistence with which we ask the flock entrusted to our care to pray for us.
St. Paul in prison wrote to the Phillipians that he will have no further worry over his soul’s health if he has them ‘to pray for me, and Jesus Christ to supply my needs with his Spirit.’ (Phillipians 1:19). He knew he could not work without the intercession of converts. He valued Lydia’s prayers and those of her household; he valued the jailer’s prayers; he desired the prayers of Eurodias, Syntyche and Clement; and to the Ephesians he wrote: Pray for me too, that I be given words to speak my mind boldly, in making known the Gospel Revelation, for which I am an ambassador in chains. (Eph. 6:19-20)
The priest may claim the prayers of his people, for through their prayers he receives from the Spirit whatever he needs…The priest can save souls without eloquence, but he cannot move them without prayer and the Holy Spirit.”
Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us.
Have a blessed week,
Elena and Laurie
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Saturday, October 12, 2019
This week’s message and prayer are a bit long, but bear with us. This is the whole reason we started this ministry in the first place. However, instead of providing a list of this week’s priests we invite you to go to the website, https://prayersforpriests.com/, click on “Priests” then the link under “Dioceses”. You can choose your diocese from the list. As always, feel free to forward this to anyone you think will be willing to join us in prayer, and encourage them to get in touch with us if they would like to receive these messages directly.
October has been recognized worldwide as Clergy Appreciation Month and, at least here in the United States, we set aside the second Sunday of October as Clergy Appreciation Day.
Cardinal Robert Sarah recently reflected on the meaning of the priesthood in a Mass marking his 50th ordination anniversary.
“The priest lives joy in its fullness at Holy Mass, which is the raison d’être of his existence, what gives meaning to his life,” Sarah said. “During the daily Mass the priest comes face to face with Jesus Christ and at that precise moment, he is identified, he identified himself with Christ, becoming not only an Alter Christus, another Christ, but he is really Ipse Christus, the same Christ,” he said.
Sarah said that the priesthood is going through “a deep crisis” today, and asked for prayers for all priests.
“The priest — here is the most magnificent work, the most generous gift that God has given to humanity, the most precious and unprecedented treasure that exists on earth.”
Fr. Robert Peckman wrote a Facebook post entitled “A Priest Tells the Powerful Truth About What His REAL Job As a Pastor Is.” With his permission, we have adapted his post into a prayer:
They are our priests and pastors, Lord. You gave them to us.
We pray to remember that we don’t need them to be our buddies but our shepherds. We don’t need them on the barstool beside us but in the breach between us and the devil. We don’t need them to spout pious platitudes but to offer comfort and truth. We don’t need them to be silent and turn a blind eye but to charitably correct us and offer guidance. We don’t need them to be ‘a regular person’ but a fearless leader and shepherd. We don’t need them to tell us to be nice but to encourage us to be holy. We don’t need them to set the bar low so we will like them but to set the bar high and then help us reach the goal. We don’t need them to be hip, cool, or relevant by worldly standards but to be steadfast, accountable, and strong in the face of worldly standards. We don’t need them to be entertaining but to point to the transcendent. We don’t need them to be a Messiah…we need them to point to THE Messiah.
We pray that their hearts remain friendly, kind, charitable, and empathetic. Keep them bold, brave, and strong. Their job means we may sometimes get very mad at them. When we get angry, we pray they don’t become so afraid of that that they leave us to destructive forces. We are grateful that they are willing to love us more than themselves. They have to lead us to holiness, not popularity. We pray that they remain forthright and charitable. We pray to trust that they want what is good and holy for us.
We know their job is not easy. They are our spiritual fathers, and their job in the parish is very much like the role of a dad in a family. Help us to honor them as our fathers. They place themselves in the breach between the flock and what would prey on the flock, where You, Lord, placed Yourself.
We pray that they do this job well…that they lead where Christ would have us go. We want to go to heaven. We want them, the ones who were our shepherds, to go there too. The way there is a narrow and winding path. We pray for the strength and perseverance to make each step as it comes, and that they have all the power and graces of their holy ordination to lead the way. Amen.
Have a great week,
Elena & Laurie
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Saturday, October 5, 2019
Happy October!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 10/6 Pope Francis
MONDAY 10/7 Carmelite Fathers
TUESDAY 10/8 Richard Brickler
WEDNESDAY 10/9 Albert Delmonte
THURSDAY 10/10 Edward Dillon
FRIDAY 10/11 Vocations & Seminarians
SATURDAY 10/12 Bernard Dollen
Our prayer this week is from St. Catherine of Siena:
Father, I beseech You, direct the hearts and wills of the servants of Your Bride, the Holy Church, unto yourself so that they may follow the poor, bleeding, humble, and gentle Lamb of God on the way of the Cross.
Make them angels in the shape of men; for after all, they have to administer and distribute the Body and Blood of Your Only Begotten Son!
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Saturday, September 28, 2019
Happy feast of St. Wenceslaus!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 9/29 Walter Cushing
MONDAY 9/30 Bernard Dan
TUESDAY 10/1 William Darling
WEDNESDAY 10/2 Joseph DeMaio
THURSDAY 10/3 John DeSocio
FRIDAY 10/4 Peter Deckman
SATURDAY 10/5 Bishop Salvatore Matano
This week’s prayer is short but sweet, and gets right to the point.
Lord, lift up your holy priests; grant them the graces they need to minister to your people. Keep them pure and strong in your love; give them courage when things are difficult, and accompany them when they are lonely; strengthen them in times of weakness. Amen.
O Mary, Queen of the clergy, pray for us. Obtain for us a number of holy priests.
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Saturday, September 21, 2019
Happy Saturday. I hope you’re all enjoying this beautiful weather we’re having in upstate New York this week.
The priests this week are:
SUNDAY 9/22 Patrick Connor
MONDAY 9/23 Brian Cool
TUESDAY 9/24 William Cosgrove
WEDNESDAY 9/25 All Missionaries
THURSDAY 9/26 Michael Costik
FRIDAY 9/27 Charles Curran
SATURDAY 9/28 Donald Curtiss
Our prayer this week:
St. Michael the Archangel, our defender in battle, by the power of God rally the bishops and priests to protect Christ’s flock and combat evil with the Truth and Love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, as you helped strengthen the Apostles before Pentecost, pray that their successors be filled with courage and joy as true witnesses of your Son and pastors to his people.
Amen.
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Saturday, September 14, 2019
Hi everyone! We’re up to nine diocesan calendars! Keep them coming!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 9/15 Augustine Chumo
MONDAY 9/16 Matthew Clark
TUESDAY 9/17 Clifford Peter
WEDNESDAY 9/18 William Coffas
THURSDAY 9/19 Inactive & Sabbatical Priests
FRIDAY 9/20 Michael Conboy
SATURDAY 9/21 Daniel Condon
Our prayer: Prayer of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests; for your unfaithful and tepid priests; for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for your tempted priests; for your lonely and desolate priests; for your young priests; for your dying priests; for the souls of your priests in purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me: the priest who baptized me; the priests who absolved me from my sins; the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me your Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way (especially …).
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.
Amen.
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Saturday, September 7, 2019
Well, I guess summer is over. There’s something to be said for the peace that come from the routine of the school year, though. Even many of us without children frequently notice a subtle shift in the flow of life this time of year. Enjoy it!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 9/8 Joseph Catanise
MONDAY 9/9 Scott Caton
TUESDAY 9/10 Thomas Celso
WEDNESDAY 9/11 Lee Chase
THURSDAY 9/12 Dennis Billy
FRIDAY 9/13 Sergio Chavez
SATURDAY 9/14 Jeffrey Chichester
Our prayer this week comes from Pope St. Gregory the Great, whose feast day we just celebrated on September 3.
Father, you guide your people with kindness and govern us with love. By the prayer of Saint Gregory give the spirit of wisdom to those you have called to lead your Church. May the growth of your people in holiness be the eternal joy of your shepherds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Saturday, August 31, 2019
Labor Day Weekend? Already? How?
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 9/1 Pope Francis
MONDAY 9/2 Brian Carpenter
TUESDAY 9/3 James Burke
WEDNESDAY 9/4 All Deacons
THURSDAY 9/5 Roman Caly
FRIDAY 9/6 Vocations & Seminarians
SATURDAY 9/7 Bishop Salvatore Matano
And our prayer, from P. Stewart Craig.
Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, who have entrusted your work of redemption to the priests, who take your place on earth, I offer you, through the hands of your most holy Mother, for the sanctification of your priests and future priests this whole day, all my prayers, works, joys, sacrifices and sufferings. Give us saintly priests. Grant to them apostolic hearts, filled with love for you and all the souls belonging to you, so that, being themselves sanctified in you, they may sanctify us who are entrusted to their care and bring us safely into Heaven.
Loving Jesus, bless all their priestly work and sacrifice. Bless all their prayers and words at the altar and in the confessional, in the pulpit, in the school and at the sickbed. Call many young men to the priesthood and the monastic life. Protect and sanctify all who will become your priests. And grant to the souls of the priests who have departed this life, eternal rest.
And do you, Mary, Mother of all priests, take them under your special protection and lead them ever to the highest priestly sanctity. Amen.
Happy Labor Day everyone!
Laurie & Elena
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Saturday, August 24, 2019
Thank you all for the quick and strong response to the special prayer request that was sent out last week. That is exactly the reason this ministry was started!
Now, this week’s priests:
SUNDAY 8/25 Paul Brennan
MONDAY 8/26 Richard Brickler
TUESDAY 8/27 Lewis Brown
WEDNESDAY 8/28 Michael Brown
THURSDAY 8/29 Timothy Brown
FRIDAY 8/30 Brendan Buckley
SATURDAY 8/31 Inactive & Sabbatical Priests
And our prayer:
Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord, keep them, for they are Thine – Thy priests whose lives burn out before Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world, though 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 lives 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 thoughts and word and deed, Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Pray on,
Elena & Laurie
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Saturday, August 17, 2019
Happy Saturday, everyone! And just in case we haven’t mentioned it lately, we’re really glad you are praying along with us. Together we can keep all of our priests enveloped in God’s embrace.
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 8/18 Paul Bonacci
MONDAY 8/19 Dennis Bonsignore
TUESDAY 8/20 All Missionaries
WEDNESDAY 8/21 Robert Bourcy
THURSDAY 8/22 James Boyle
FRIDAY 8/23 Robert Bradler
SATURDAY 8/24 Alexander Bradshaw
Our prayer this week is by Pope Saint John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis:
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.
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.
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.
Mother of the Church, with 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 fullness of gifts, O Queen of the Apostles.
Mother of Jesus Christ, you were with Him at the beginning of His life and of His 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 close by you, your son; accept from the beginning those who have been called, protect their growth, accompany your sons in their life and in their ministry, O Mother of Priests.
Amen.
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Saturday, August 10, 2019
Hi everyone! Just a reminder, this Thursday is the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For those of you in the Elmira and Horseheads area, Masses here at The Parish of the Most Holy Name of Jesus are:
Wednesday, August 14
5:30pm St. Mary
Thursday, August 15
6:45am St. Mary Our Mother
8am St. Patrick
12:05pm Sts. Peter & Paul
5:30pm St. Mary Our Mother
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 8/11 Michael Bausch
MONDAY 8/12 Peter Bayer
TUESDAY 8/13 Richard Beligotti
WEDNESDAY 8/14 Robert Beligotti
THURSDAY 8/15 Juan Benitez
FRIDAY 8/16 Philip Billotte
SATURDAY 8/17 Deceased Priests
And our prayer:
A Spiritual Mother or Father’s Self-Offering
Heavenly Father, I am inspired by the glorious witness of saints who went before me on the royal road of spiritual motherhood and fatherhood. I unite my offering to all the spiritual mothers and fathers of priests throughout the history of the Church. I pray that I can imitate their fidelity and fruitfulness in the handing down of the faith to future generations.
Eternal Father, graciously keep my heart set on this intention of praying and sacrificing for holy priests that they may be victorious over the world, the flesh, and the devil.
United with Jesus, I offer myself as an intercessor for priests in purgatory and for priests serving the Church now and in the future. I beseech you to grant all priests and seminarians necessary grace to persevere in their ongoing formation and interior transformation.
When the priest holds the Sacred Host in his hands at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, grant that he may experience the love of the Most Holy Trinity enveloping him and be strengthened.
Heavenly Father, every time I see the priest elevating Your son Jesus in the Eucharist, I renew and ratify my self-offering for priests.
It is my ardent and constant desire that You be glorified through the holiness of your priests. I confide my self-offering prayer to You through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Amen.
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Saturday, August 3, 2019
The first weekly email from our new site! Thank you for all of your feedback, and keep it coming. Share the site with anyone you think will want to join us in praying for our priests. Send it to friends and family in other dioceses and encourage them to let me know if their diocese also has a calendar. I would love to add their links!
This weeks priests are:
SUNDAY 8/4 Pope Francis
MONDAY 8/5 Anthony Amato
TUESDAY 8/6 Ronald Antinarelli
WEDNESDAY 8/7 Frederick Asuming
THURSDAY 8/8 Theodore Auble
FRIDAY 8/9 William Barrett
SATURDAY 8/10 Victor Bartolotta
Our prayer this week is adapted from words spoken by Bishop Robert Barron on May 25, 2019. He was ordaining six Dominican friars, the first priests he has ordained. If you would like to see a short video, here is the link: https://aleteia.org/2019/08/01/this-short-video-of-bishop-barron-ordaining-6-dominicans-will-give-you-chills/.
Now for our prayer:
Venerable Fulton Sheen said that every priest is a Jacob’s Ladder, someone who connects Heaven and Earth. Lord, help our priests to be able to travel down far enough to reach even the most lost of the lost, and be able at the same time to reach up high enough to facilitate the journey to heaven.
As priests, help them to sanctify. As prophets, help them to teach. As kings, help them to shepherd and lead.
Heavenly Father, mold them as priests so that your people might hear the saving truth. Make them be kings that your people might walk the path to Salvation.
Gracious Lord, help them to love the people they serve. Sanctify them that they may sanctify us; teach them that they may teach us; shepherd them that they may shepherd us. Make them be a Jacob’s Ladder for us. Amen.
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Saturday, July 27, 2019
Great news everyone! After three months of filling up your emails and texts sending these prayers and novenas, we are ready to introduce our new website, prayersforpriests.com! The website will have all of the information that we’ve been sending, along with important dates and special intentions. The new email address will be prayers4priests@gmail.com.
The website has a contact page as well. Let us know what you think.
Now, for this week, our priests are:
SUNDAY 7/28 Walter Wainright
MONDAY 7/29 Thomas Wheeland
TUESDAY 7/30 Daniel White
WEDNESDAY 7/31 Mitchel Zygadlo
THURSDAY 8/1 William Amann
FRIDAY 8/2 Vocations and Seminarians
SATURDAY 8/3 Bishop Salvatore Matano
And our prayer:
Lord Jesus, present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, and living perpetually among us through Your Priests, grant that the words of Your Priests may be only Your words, that their gestures be only Your gestures, and that their lives be a true reflection of Your life.
Grant that they may be men who speak to God on behalf of His people, and speak to His people of God. Grant that they be courageous in service, serving the Church as she asks to be served.
Grant that they may be men who witness to eternity in our time, travelling on the paths of history in Your steps, and doing good for all.
Grant that they may be faithful to their commitments, zealous in their vocation and mission, clear mirrors of their own identity, and living the joy of the gift they have received.
We pray that Your Holy Mother, Mary, present throughout Your life, may be ever present in the life of Your Priests. Amen.
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Saturday, July 20, 2019
OK, stop melting everyone! Pretty soon it will be snowing, and we’ll be wishing for this heat. (Well, I won’t, but most of the rest of you will.)
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 7/21 Daniel Tormey
MONDAY 7/22 Jeffrey Tunniclif
TUESDAY 7/23 Michael Twardzik
WEDNESDAY 7/24 Gary Tyman
THURSDAY 7/25 James Schwartz
FRIDAY 7/26 Peter Van Lieshout
SATURDAY 7/27 Louis Vasile
And this week’s prayer, from https://www.mothertheresa.org
Most gracious Heavenly Father,
We thank you for our faithful priests and bishops, whose spiritual fatherhood and example of fidelity, self-sacrifice, and devotion is so vital to the faith of your people. May our spiritual fathers be guided by the examples of Saints Peter and Paul, all the Apostles and their saintly successors. Give them valiant faith in the face of confusion and conflict, hope in time of trouble and sorrow, and steadfast love for you, for their families, and for all your people throughout the world. May the light of your Truth shine through their lives and their good works. Assist all spiritual fathers, that through your Grace they may steadily grow in holiness and in knowledge and understanding of your Truth. May they generously impart this knowledge to those who rely on them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Saturday, July 13, 2019
Happy warm mid-July!
Our priests this week are:
SUNDAY 7/14 Joseph Sasso
MONDAY 7/15 Edison Tayag
TUESDAY 7/16 John Healy
WEDNESDAY 7/17 David Tedesche
THURSDAY 7/18 Matthew Temple
FRIDAY 7/19 Paul Tomasso
SATURDAY 7/20 All Missionaries
This week’s prayer:
Eternal God, please bless our priests, who represent You on this earth. Make them more greatly aware of the grace that You pour out through them when they minister the sacraments, and help them to fall more deeply in love with You after each and every Mass that they celebrate. Please strengthen our priests, who shepherd Your flock, when they are in doubt of their faith, that they may be examples of Your Truth and guide us always on the path to You. We ask these things of You our Eternal Priest. Amen.
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Saturday, July 6, 2019
I hope you all had a good 4th of July weekend.
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 7/7 Pope Francis
MONDAY 7/8 Michael Upson
TUESDAY 7/9 Felicjan Suerotowicz
WEDNESDAY 7/10 Evan Simington
THURSDAY 7/11 Gerard D’Souza
FRIDAY 7/12 Louis Sirianni
SATURDAY 7/13 William Spilly
Heavenly Father, I offer this day for the sanctification of all Your priests. When I am hungry today, I will offer that for all priests who struggle with hunger, both physical and spiritual. When I feel pain, I will offer it for all priests who are persecuted and harmed for Your sake, and all who serve Your Bride, the Church, through their challenges and hurts. When I am tired, I will offer that for Your priests, who continue to work tirelessly for Your kingdom. When I am lonely, I will offer that for priests, who work in this world, often unseen. When I am afraid, I will offer that for all priests who show heroic bravery for us. And when I feel joy, I will offer that too, for all the priests leading the way to You. Amen.
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Saturday, June 29, 2019
Happy 13th Week of (extra)Ordinary Time, everybody!
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 6/30 Daniel Ruiz
MONDAY 7/1 Edward Salmon
TUESDAY 7/2 Carlos Sanchez
WEDNESDAY 7/3 Thomas Statt
THURSDAY 7/4 Robert J. Schrader
FRIDAY 7/5 Michael Schramel
SATURDAY 7/6 Bishop Salvatore Matano
A Traditional Prayer for Priests
Divine Savior Jesus Christ, who has entrusted the whole work of your redemption, the welfare, and salvation of the world to priests as your representatives, through the hands of your most holy Mother and for the sanctification of your priests and candidates for the priesthood, I offer you this present day wholly and entirely, with all its prayers, works, joys, sacrifices, and sorrows. Give us truly holy priests who, inflamed with the fire of your divine love, seek nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of our souls. And you, Mary, good Mother of priests, protect all priests in the dangers of their holy vocation and, with the loving hand of a Mother, also lead back to the Good Shepherd those poor priests who have become unfaithful to their exalted vocation and have gone astray. Amen.
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Saturday, June 22, 2019
I hope you all had a good week. Feel free to forward this on to anyone you think may be interested in joining us as we pray for our priests.
This week’s priests are
SUNDAY 6/23 Leo Reinhardt
MONDAY 6/24 Hoan Dinh
TUESDAY 6/25 Robert Reiser
WEDNESDAY 6/26 Robert Ring
THURSDAY 6/27 Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers
FRIDAY 6/28 Thomas Mull
SATURDAY 6/29 Joseph Trovato
This week’s prayer is from Psalm 110, from this Sunday’s responsorial:
You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” The scepter of your power the Lord will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” “Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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Sunday, June 16, 2019
Good afternoon all, and happy father’s day to all of you dads!
Here’s the list of priests for this week:
SUNDAY 6/16 John O’Connor
MONDAY 6/17 Francis Jones
TUESDAY 6/18 Edward Palumbos
WEDNESDAY 6/19 Pius Pathmarajah
THURSDAY 6/20 Inactive & Sabbatical Priests
FRIDAY 6/21 Jorge Ramirez
SATURDAY 6/22 John Reif
Our prayer this week comes from Opus Bono Sacerdotii, a group whose motto is “Work for the Good of the Priesthood”
O Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest and exemplar of priestly holiness and dignity, we are grateful to You for having chosen certain men for the ministerial priesthood by which You continue to instruct, admonish, forgive, nourish and strengthen Your Church. We are sorely aware of the great need of priests in our time to be confirmed in their sacred calling so that they may continue confidently in their ministry of mediating Your graces to men and of representing them before Your august majesty. Relying on the intercession of Holy Mary, Mother of priests, and of Saint Joseph, Her beloved spouse, we beg Your help for the priests who are the most troubled, tempted, discouraged and suffering. Maybe the noble and sacred office of the priesthood, which has too often been reviled and scorned, regain it’s admirable stature in the sight of all men for Your greater honor and glory, and for the sanctification and salvation of Your people. Amen.
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Saturday, June 8, 2019
Wow. Saturday already again. Why, it just seems like only 6 days ago I was sending out the last list! 🙄
This week’s priests are:
SUNDAY 6/9 Walter Cushing
MONDAY 6/10 Kevin Murphy
TUESDAY 6/11 Thomas Nellis
WEDNESDAY 6/12 Timothy Niven
THURSDAY 6/13 Anthony Nketiah
FRIDAY 6/14 Symon Peter Ntaiyia
SATURDAY 6/15 Malachy Nwosu
This week’s prayer is from St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa):
Mary, Mother of Jesus, throw your mantle of purity over our priests. Protect them, guide them, and keep them in your heart. Be a Mother to them, especially in times of discouragement and loneliness. Love them and keep them belonging completely to Jesus. Like Jesus, they, too, are your sons, so keep their hearts pure and virginal. Keep their minds filled with Jesus, and put Jesus always on their lips, so that he is the one they offer to sinner and to all they meet. Mary, Mother of Jesus, be their Mother, loving them and brining them joy. Take special care of sick and dying priests, and the ones most tempted. Remember how they spent their youth and old age, their entire lives serving and giving all to Jesus. Mary, Bless them and deep a special place for them in your heart.
Give them a piece of your heart, so beautiful and pure and immaculate, so full of love and humility, so that they, too, can grow in the likeness of Christ. Dear Mary, make them humble like you, and holy like Jesus.
Amen.
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Sunday, June 2, 2019
Hi all. Sorry I didn’t get this out last night.
Here are this week’s priests:
SUNDAY 6/2. Pope Francis
MONDAY 6/3 Lewis Brown
TUESDAY 6/4 Peter Mottola
WEDNESDAY 6/5 Anthony Mugavero
THURSDAY 6/6 John Vu
FRIDAY 6/7 Vocations & Seminarians
SATURDAY 6/8 John Mulligan
This week’s prayer is from St. Faustina.
O my Jesus, I beg you on behalf of the whole Church:Grant it love and the light of your Spirit, and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to you, O Lord. Lord, give us holy priests; you yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil’s traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for you can do all things. (from the Diary of St. Faustina, 1052)
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Saturday, May 25, 2019
Happy Memorial Day weekend everybody.
Here is this week’s list of priests, along with a prayer that I found on Catholic.org. If you have questions, or suggestions of prayers for priests, please email me at lauriedesmarais@yahoo.com. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think may be interested in praying with us.
SUNDAY, 5/26 Michael Merritt
MONDAY 5/27 Justin Miller
TUESDAY 5/28 William Michatek
WEDNESDAY 5/29 All Missionaries
THURSDAY 5/30 William McGrath
FRIDAY 5/31 William Moorby
SATURDAY 6/1 Bishop Salvatore Matano
And our prayer:
O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priests. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly life.In their loneliness, comfort them. In their sorrows, strengthen them. In their frustrations, point out to them that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show them that they are needed by the Church; they are needed by souls; they are needed for the work of redemption.
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Saturday, May 18, 2019
How is it Saturday already?!
Here is the list of priests for this week:
SUNDAY 5/19 Michael Mayer
MONDAY 5/20 Kevin McKenna
TUESDAY 5/21 Joseph McCaffrey
WEDNESDAY 5/22 Deceased Priests
THURSDAY 5/23 Gerard McKeon
FRIDAY 5/24 Daniel McMullin
SATURDAY 5/25 Robert Werth
This week’s prayer is by St. Therese of Lisieux:
O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Your holy love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here, and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.
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Saturday, May 11, 2019
Happy Saturday, everyone! Our list of prayer warriors is growing! Don’t forget to let me know if you prefer to receive these messages via email or text. Keep forwarding these messages to your friends and family, and encourage them to let me know they’re here. Reminder – we’ll be starting a new novena on Wednesday.
Here’s this week’s list of priests:
SUNDAY 5/12 All inactive priests, and those on sabbatical
MONDAY 5/13 William Leone
TUESDAY 5/14 Bernard Maloney
WEDNESDAY 5/15 Kevin Mannara
THURSDAY 5/16 Leo Mans
FRIDAY 5/17 Joseph Marcoux
SATURDAY 5/18 Carsten Martensen
And our prayer this week is by John Cardinal O’Connor from March of 1995. It’s a little long, but beautiful.
O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordination and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much. Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. Lord Jesus, we your people pray to You for our priests. You have given them to us for OUR needs. We pray for them in THEIR needs. We know that You have made them priests in the likeness of your own priesthood. You have consecrated them, set them aside, anointed them, filled them with the Holy Spirit, appointed them to teach, to preach, to minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us with Your Body and Blood. Yet we know, too, that they are one with us and share our human weaknesses. We know too that they are tempted to sin and discouragement as are we, needing to be ministered to, as do we, to be consoled and forgiven, as do we. Indeed, we thank You for choosing them from among us, so that they understand us as we understand them, suffer with us and rejoice with us, worry with us and trust with us, share our beings, our lives, our faith. We ask that You give them this day the gift You gave Your chosen ones on the way to Emmaus: Your presence in their hearts, Your holiness in their souls, Your joy in their spirits. And let them see You face to face in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread. We pray to You, O Lord, through Mary the mother of all priests, for Your priests and for ours. Amen. March, 1995
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Saturday, May 4, 2019
I hope you’ve all had a good and blessed week. Thank you for joining us in this ministry for our priests. Here is this week’s list of priests, along with a prayer from Pope Benedict XVI. If you have questions, or suggestions of prayers for priests, please email me at lauriedesmarais@yahoo.com. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think may be interested in praying with us.
SUNDAY, 5/5 Pope Francis
MONDAY 5/6 Charles Latus
TUESDAY 5/7 James Lawlor
WEDNESDAY 5/8 All Deacons
THURSDAY 5/9 Christopher Linsler
FRIDAY 5/10 Frank Lioi
SATURDAY 5/11 John Loncle
Prayer for Priests by Pope Benedict XVI
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal High Priest, you offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the cross and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave your priestly people a share in your redeeming sacrifice. Hear our prayer for the sanctification of our priests. Grant that all who are ordained to the ministerial priesthood may be ever more conformed to you, the Divine Master. May they preach the Gospel with pure heart and clear conscience. Let them be shepherds according to your own heart, single-minded in service to you and to the Church, and shining examples of a holy, simple, and joyful life. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Mother and ours, draw all priests and the flocks entrusted to their care to the fullness of eternal life where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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