St. John Paul II’s Prayer for Priests - Let's Pray for Our Church As Abuse Summit Begins

Let us pray for our priests!

Today, the Vatican began its four-day abuse summit with 114 presidents of bishops’ conferences.

According to the National Catholic Register’s Edward Pentin, the gathering focuses on three primary areas: “responsibility, accountability, transparency — and will feature keynote presentations, working group discussions, meetings with abuse victims, a penitential liturgy and a closing Mass.”

Pope Francis has repeatedly asked for prayers regarding this summit.

Here’s some of his tweets:

@Pontifex, Twitter

His first tweet reads, “As of tomorrow, we will live several days of dialogue and communion, of listening and discernment. May it be a time of conversion. We don’t proclaim ourselves, but He who died for us. #PBC2019”

@Pontifex, Twitter

Another tweet reads, “Let us ask the Holy Spirit to sustain us during these days and to help us transform this evil into an opportunity for awareness and purification. #PBC2019”

@Pontifex, Twitter

In another recent tweet, he said, “Lord, you know how we resist placing the sufferings of others in our heart. Open our hearts and shape them in your image. #PBC2019.”

Especially throughout this meeting, let us ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance upon our Church leaders. Let us especially pray for all priests.

**In his apostolic exhortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, St. John Paul II presented a beautiful prayer for the priests of our Church.**

He dedicated them to Our Lady, explaining that he prays for each and every one of them “to Mary, Mother and Teacher of our priesthood.”

He added that “every aspect of priestly formation can be referred to Mary, the human being who has responded better than any other to God’s call.”

St. John Paul II continued, saying that “Mary was called to educate the one eternal priest, who became docile and subject to her motherly authority. With her example and intercession the Blessed Virgin keeps vigilant watch over the growth of vocations and priestly life in the Church.”

Here’s St. John Paul II’s Prayer for Priests:

O Mary,
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.

O 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.

O 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.

O Mother of the Church,
in the midst of 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 full measure of gifts,
O Queen of the Apostles.

O Mother of Jesus Christ,
you were with him at the beginning
of his life and 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, your son, near at hand;
accept from the beginning those
who have been called,
protect their growth,
in their life ministry accompany
your sons,
O Mother of Priests.

Amen.

Here’s some of his tweets:

In his apostolic exhortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, St. John Paul II presented a beautiful prayer for the priests of our Church.

Here’s St. John Paul II’s Prayer for Priests:

St. John Paul II and Our Lady, please pray for our priests!

**In his apostolic exhortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, St. John Paul II presented a beautiful prayer for the priests of our Church.**