HOLY HOUR FOR PRIESTS For the sanctification of the clergy During that month I met with many holy Priests, and yet I saw that even though the sublime dignity of Priesthood raises them higher than the Angels, they are still but weak and imperfect men. An so if holy Priests, whom Our Lord in the Gospel calls the salt of the earth, have need of our prayers, what must we think of the lukewarm? St. Therese of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul, chap. VI
HOLY HOUR FOR PRIESTS F O R T H E S A N C T I F I C A T I O N O F T H E C L E R G Y 1. OPENING PRAYER Leader: In union with the Church we begin our adoration of the Holy Sacrament, asking for the sanctification of our priests. The Church needs holy priests who in the image of Christ the eternal high Priest, are consecrated to preach the Gospel and shepherd the faithful and to celebrate divine worship, so that they are true priests of the New Testament (LG 28). Let us pray also for our seminarians, that they may persevere and that many young men may answer the Lord s call to the vocation to the priesthood with generosity. A Hymn is sung 2. BEFORE JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE Leader: May the Most Blessed Sacrament. All: Be praised and adored forever. Leader: Jesus said: Do not work for food that perishes but for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you (John 6:27). Gives us this food, Lord Jesus, for we believe in your real presence and we adore you in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. May the Most Blessed Sacrament, All: Be praised and adored forever. Leader: Jesus said: I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst (John 6:35). Here we are, we came before your divine presence to be nourished and satiated. May the Most Blessed Sacrament, All: Be praised and adored forever. Leader: Jesus said: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him (John 6:56). Lord Jesus, we come here to remain in you like branches on the vine. May the Most Blessed Sacrament, All: Be praised and adored forever. Leader: Lord Jesus, fill our hearts with the light of Faith and kindle in them the fire of your Love, so that we may worship You in Spirit and Truth, in this admirable Sacrament, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. All: Amen. 3. FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE CLERGY Leader: Here before the Eucharistic Christ, the Church invites us to pray for the sanctification of the clergy. The vocation to sanctity is universal: This is the will of God, your holiness (I Thess 4:3). All: We are called to follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ... according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity (LG 41). Page 1
Lector 1: Those chosen to serve God s people, who received the imposition of hands and were anointed to fulfill this mission, have the special duty of being a sign of sanctity. All: Put on then as God s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... But over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection (CoI 3:12-14). A Hymn is sung Lector1: We are called to sanctity, but we have to deal with life s fragility. It is necessary to keep our feet on the ground, be humble enough to recognize our human condition. Like every community, pastors also face the sad reality of sin. They are men, not angels. All: Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness (Heb 5,1-2). (Moment of silence and personal prayer) Lector 2: We have many reasons to be joyful and to praise God. There are many devoted ministers, who, with their lives and their work, give glory to the name of God, serve the Church and the faithful. All: Let us remember all the priests who amidst difficulties, misunderstandings and persecution, courageously remain faithful to their vocation and are the living presence of Christ among his people. (Moment of silence and personal prayer) Leader: Let us pray in two groups Jesus priestly prayer (John 17): Group A: Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that your Son may glorify you, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Group B: I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Group A: Father, I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They have kept your word. Group B: Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are and they may share my joy completely. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. Group A: Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. Group B: I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, Page 2
that the world may believe that you sent me. Group A: I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Group B: Father, they are a gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me; because you loved me before the foundation of the world. I made know to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them. All: Amen. A hymn is sung (Moment of silence and personal prayer) 4. INTERCESSIONS Leader: O God of goodness, who made us to be holy and without blemish (Eph 1:4), you have chosen ordained ministers to be signs of sanctity: All: Bless all the ordained ministers so that they may be faithful to their vocation. Lector 1: Lord, you have invited us to sail in deeper waters : All: Help all the ordained ministers to avoid the temptation of activism, of superficiality, of pettiness, by looking for a deeper meaning to their vocation. Lector 2: Jesus, Good Shepherd, you came to the world so that all have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10), you have chosen and have sent your friends to continue this mission: All: Watch with tenderness over the lives of our clergy, strengthen them with your Word and the Eucharist, so that they may be instruments of a new life to all of us. Lector 3: Lord Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, your heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd (Mt 9:36): All: Give us holy and devoted shepherds, whose hearts are filled with pity for the people, who will care for the troubled sheep, and who will work with faith and courage in the pursue of justice. Lector 4: Holy Spirit, love between the Father and the Son, poured in abundance in the Sacrament of Holy Orders: All: Illuminate our pastors, grant them your gifts, so that they may be happy and work for the happiness of others; be good and practice goodness; and be holy and work towards the sanctification of others. Lector 5: Holy Mary, mother of Christ the high priest, faithful companion of the apostles, model of service: All: Protect with tenderness all the clergy, be their help and companion always, teach us to be thoughtful of our brothers and sisters needs, help us to be faithful. Hail Mary... Page 3
5. LITANY OF JESUS PRIEST Leader: Let us pray: Jesus, High Priest of God Have mercy on us. Jesus, High Priest forever Jesus, who instituted the Eucharist Jesus, High Priest and our intercessor Jesus, anointed by the Holy Spirit Jesus, true man and true God Jesus, made High Priest for men Jesus, poor and humble in the Eucharist Jesus, present in the Eucharist Jesus, silent and patient in the Eucharist Jesus, full of glory in the Eucharist Jesus, missionary of the Eucharist Jesus, High Priest, altar and lamb Jesus, who teach us how to break the bread Jesus, lamb giver of life Jesus, food of the weak Jesus, stripped in the host Jesus, servant of the supper, king of the banquet Jesus, who died and is risen Jesus, joy of the children Jesus, comforter of the afflicted Jesus, help of the sick Jesus, friend of sinners Jesus, bread of heaven and bread of life Jesus, our brother and companion Jesus, Lord and King of our hearts Jesus, eternal glory Jesus, intercessor before the Father PRAYER FOR PRIESTS Lord Jesus, present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, you wanted to be always among us by way of your priests, make their words be your words, their actions your actions, their lives a perfect reflection of your life. May they become men who speak to God about men and who speak to men about God. May they never be afraid of being servants, serving the Church as she ought to be served. May they be men, witness of our time, walking through history on your steps, doing good to all. May they be faithful in their commitments, have zeal for their vocation and dedication, being a clear reflection of their own identity and may they joyfully live the gift that was given to them. All of this we ask through the intercession of your Most Holy Mother, she who was present in your life, may always be present in the lives of your priests. Amen. Celebrant: Let us pray for the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. May the Lord preserve him, Page 4
grant him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the power of his enemies. (Silent prayer for the Pope) Celebrant: Let us pray. God shepherd and guide of all the faithful, look with favor on your servant, Pope Benedict XVI, whom you have made shepherd of your Church. Grant him we beseech you the grace to edify through his words and his example, those who are under his care and responsibility, so that, along with the flock entrusted to him, he may have eternal life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Celebrant: Let us pray for Archbishop N. May he remain strong in tending to his flock supported by your strength, Lord, in the sublimity of your name. (Silent prayer for the Bishop) Celebrant: Let us pray. God, you who watch over your people with goodness and guide them with love, watch over Archbishop N., to whom you have entrusted the care of our spiritual direction, provide for him a spirit of wisdom and grace abundant, so that he may truly fulfill the duties of his priestly ministry, and may he receive the eternal reward due to a faithful dispenser. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. Celebrant: Let us pray brothers and sisters for the clergy. Let us ask the Lord of the harvest for all the clergy, that they may be faithful to the mission entrusted to the priesthood, in union with the diocesan Bishop. (Silent prayer for the clergy) Leader: The harvest is abundant. The laborers are few. Send out, Lord, laborers for your harvest. Leader: Lord, your heart was moved with pity for the multitude without a Shepherd Send out, Lord, laborers for your harvest. Leader: We pray for the young men who hear your call, Make them generous, Lord. Leader: We pray for those who have consecrated their life to you, Increase the virtue of charity in them, Lord. Leader: We pray for those young men who doubt your call, Assure them, Lord. Leader: We pray for those called to the priesthood at an early age, Walk with them, Lord. Page 5
Leader: We pray for the seminarians, Grant them perseverance, Lord. Leader: We pray for those priests suffering temptations, Grant them your strength, Lord. Leader: We pray for the devoted priests, Kindle in them the fire of your love, Lord. Leader: We pray for those priests who are lukewarm, Sanctify them, Lord. Leader: We pray for those priests afflicted with sadness, Console them, Lord. 6. Leader: We pray for those priests who feel lonely, Lord, be their companion. Leader: We pray for the missionary priests, Infuse in them your zeal, Lord. Leader: We pray for the young priests, Give them strength to pursue your glory, Lord. Leader: We pay for the elderly priests, Strengthen them, Lord. Leader: We pray for the priests who have died, Glorify them, Lord. Leader: The harvest is abundant, the laborers are few. Send out, Lord, laborers for your harvest. Leader: We pray for the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI Hear us, o Lord. Leader: We pray for the pastors of the Church. Hear us, o Lord. Leader: We pray for Archbishop N. Hear us, oh Lord. Leader: We pray for those in most need of your grace. Hear us, o Lord. Leader: We pray for those who have departed from you, Hear us, o Lord. Page 6
Leader: Jesus, Eternal High Priest, send us good priests, send us new people consecrated to your Church - shepherds after your own Heart. We need your ministers! We are in need of your grace and your love! Those holy ministers give us comfort in your name, nurture our hope, and strengthen our faith and our love. We need them Lord because we need you, because we need your love. Don t leave us on our own. Send us laborers for the harvest of the world. Send us fishers of men, who will surround us in the net of your mercy. Full of confidence yet humbly we beseech you, send us shepherds after your own Heart. The harvest is abundant. The laborers are few. Send out, Lord, laborers for your harvest. We ask you this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 7. BENEDICTION All Sing Tantum ergo sacramentun... Celebrant: You have given them bread from heaven. Having all sweetness within it. Celebrant: Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this Sacrament of your Body and Blood help us to experience the salvation you won for us and the peace of the kingdom, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. (Moment of Silence) Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man. Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be His Most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy. Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints. Our Lord and our God, protect your Church, provide her with holy and worthy ministers. Pour out your blessings over the Holy Father, our Pope, over our Archbishop and all the Bishops, over our pastor and all the clergy, over our president, our governor and all the elected officials that they may govern with justice. Give lasting peace to the people and full prosperity. Bless this country, this archdiocese, our parish, each and everyone of us, specially those for whom we have the obligation to pray or who have asked our prayers. Have mercy on the poor souls in purgatory. Grant them, o Lord, eternal rest and eternal Page 7
light. Amen Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be... A Hymn is sung written by raquel.nascimento.pereira@gmail.com Page 8