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The Catholic Church is always in need of priests, but more importantly, the Church is in need of holy priests. The Church needs true shepherds who strive to lead their people in imitation of the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his flock.
Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard wrote in his book The Soul of the Apostolate of the importance of good and holy priests.
If the priest is a saint, the people will be fervent;if the priest is fervent, the people will be pious;if the priest is pious, the people will at least be decent;if the priest is only decent, the people will be godless.The spiritual generation is always one degree less intense in its life than the one who begets it in Christ.
Here is a short prayer composed by Pope Benedict XVI for priests, asking God to send his people good, holy priests, capable of leading by example.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal High Priest,You offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the Crossand through the outpouring of the Holy Spiritgave 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 priesthoodmay 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 Churchand 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 careto the fullness of eternal life where you live and reignwith the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Read more:
A prayer for priests written by Mother Teresa
Read more:
A prayer for future priests by St. Therese of Lisieux
And today we celebrate...