“Dear Fathers, did you know?…”
[We are happy to republish this post from the later portion of the Jubilee Year for Priests when our Oblates of the Precious Blood shared details of what they were offering for priests. May this continue to provide encouragement and inspiration for all our beloved priests.]
We address this page to our dear priests who are this year celebrating the Jubilee Year for Priests in a special way.
Dear Fathers,
Do you realize how much you are loved and needed by the Church? It is too easy to forget the love the faithful have for you amid the daily trials and stresses of your ministry, let alone living in such a secularized and godless society. Even religious order priests must feel the burdens of relativism our culture places on every aspect of life.
Therefore we wanted to share with you not only our love and prayers from the cloister but especially what our Oblates of the Precious Blood have been telling us since this wonderful Jubilee began. They have let us in on what they themselves are doing individually, what their parishes are doing, and their own insights into the priesthood.
We’ve edited the comments coming from these lay men and women, priests, deacons, and religious to maintain anonymity while maintaining the touching and inspiring comments they have given to us. Their generosity in praying and sacrificing and offering their sufferings for YOU has been incredibly motivating to our own vocation as contemplatives and we felt we had to share these gems with you, our dear priests.
Without you Fathers, we do not have Jesus in the Eucharist. We treasure you. May these small comments lift you up in your daily struggles. God bless you and please remember us at the Altar.
- “I am saying extra prayers for all priests, especially the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. I am also fasting on bread and water one day a week.”
- “I am offering my sufferings for priests and I will offer up any indulgences received for priests in Purgatory.”
- “I am inspired to write a letter to the priest who is my confessor. He is a true blessing to our parish and a powerful witness of God’s grace.”
- “My husband died…and I will be offering my sorrows and all that I am enduring for Our Lord’s beloved priests.”
- “[a dying Oblate] stated she was offering her suffering up for the priest she was to be praying for…” From a friend at her deathbed.
- “I marvel at the courage of priests under persecution….I began praying for my parish priests years ago adding names as new priests came in, adding those who had died. I have added prayers since the Year for Priests began and say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for them each evening.”
- “I am always inspired when I see a priest in Church at prayer!”
- “My grandson entered the seminary….I prayed 27 years for him and his Fiat to God.”
- “I’m glad we are having this Year for Priests. I’ve seen many holy and dedicated priests praying before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Many have been ill and had problems and they knew where and Who to turn to in need. Our pastor made many sacrifices for his people.”
- “Our priest takes time for prayer before morning Mass.”
- “I am trying to pray more for our priests and offering little things like Saint Therese. And I am trying to keep in mind to pray a Hail Mary for specific individuals and intentions and thanking God for the gifts and graces of the day.”
- “I appreciate so much more the office of the Priesthood.”
- “I am thankful to God that He called me to a life of suffering for His most precious gift: the Priesthood.”
- “Our Church has for several months now asked parishioners to take a blessed chalice home for one week. We say specific prayers morning and night for the petition for God to bless us with more priests. At this time we now have seven seminarians! Each Sunday another parishioner responds to the need, as Father sends them off with a special blessing and the intention continues. God blesses us with a holy pastor and the Church is flourishing!”
- “All my pain is offered for priests.”
- “Being an Oblate with the apostolate of sanctification of priests is a great blessing for me and I am grateful for the honor.”
- “Our Pastor not only tells us how to live but shows us how to live.”
- “This year I have spiritually adopted four priests and am praying for them. We also say a prayer for priests at the end of each Mass.”
- “My watch beeps on the hour – a reminder to pray through the day for our priests!”
- “Our Pastor is a humble, prayerful, hard working priest.”
- “I’ve done all in my resources to encourage people to honor the Holy Father’s request to pray for priests.”