CAPG's Blog 

"Consider first, that the love of God is like a fire: its nature is to be always in motion, and always tending upwards towards its heavenly element; it quickly expires and dies if it lies idle. Wherefore if we would keep it alive, we must nourish it, and blow it up by frequent acts of love; and those not mere verbal acts, by telling God that we love Him, whilst our heart perhaps is far from Him, but by the real exercise of loving God both in our heart and in our works. We exercise the love of God in our heart, by affection; we exercise the love of God in our works, by effects. We love God with a love of chaste concupiscence, when in heart and work we tend to Him as our sovereign good, and aspire after the eternal enjoyment of Him. We love Him with a love of benevolence, that is of sincere and perfect friendship and charity, when both in heart and work we give our whole selves, with all our thoughts, words, and deeds, and all things else to Him, as being infinitely good in Himself. It is just we should exercise ourselves in acts of the love of God in both these ways, as in both these ways He is infinitely amiable but more especially that we should tend to love Him with the love of benevolence, by giving ourselves and all things to Him.

Consider 2ndly, that benevolence is a love by which we wish all manner of good to the person beloved; a love by which we earnestly seek and procure whatever may be for his honor, interest, or pleasure; by which we delight in all his advantages, and are concerned at all his losses, etc. Wherefore, if we would make proper acts of the love of benevolence towards God, we must desire, seek, and procure, as much as lies in us, the greater honor and glory of His name, and the propagation of His kingdom, both in our own hearts and throughout the whole world, and pray that all men may know Him, love Him, and serve Him; we must rejoice at every thing that is agreeable to his Holy Will, and be concerned at every thing that offends Him. This is the proper exercise of the love of benevolence; these are far better acts of divine charity than merely telling God that we love Him. My soul, what are thy dispositions? Dost thou sincerely desire and heartily pray that all the world may know, love, and serve thy God; that all his creatures in heaven and earth may give perpetual glory to Him; that the reign of sin may be abolished; and that the kingdom of God may take possession of all hearts; that none may resist or rebel against His orders; but that all may embrace and bow down, and adore His Divine Will? If so, there is no doubt but thou lovest God. Such as these are perfect acts of the love of God.

Consider 3rdly, that the exercise of the love of God, which, above all others, is recommended in Holy Scriptures, is the loving of his Divine Law and the keeping of His commandments. "This is the charity (that is the love) of God that we keep his commandments," 1 John v. 3. "He that keepeth his word, in him, in very deed, the charity of God is perfected,’ chap. ii. 5. The beloved disciple continually recommends acts of this kind of Divine Love, and the Psalms are full of aspirations or breathings of a soul that is in love with the Holy Law and commandments of God. This devotion to the commandments of God is loving God indeed with a true and effectual love, because it is giving up for His sake what is most dear to us, viz., our own will and liberty, and making a present of it to Him; it is giving Him what He chiefly calls for at our hands; whatsoever else we give Him can never content Him. He always prefers the sacrifice of obedience before all other sacrifices, because here we sacrifice to Him our own clear will, and immolate it, as it were, to His honor and glory. This kind of love is the safest from illusions, for whosoever loves the commandments of God and His Divine Will, and makes all that is in him submit thereunto, most certainly loves God, and is in the right way that will bring him safe to God. No other devotion without this can secure any man.

Conclude to exercise thyself daily in all these ways of loving God, and ever remember that loving God and keeping His commandments go always hand-in-hand, because we cannot love God without loving His Will, notified to us by His commandments."

Source: Challoner's Meditations

Litany of the Saints

then

On this day of Rogation, we beg of Thee, O Lord, in Thy mercy, to hear and answer our fervent petitions:

Do Thou, O Lord, defend Thy Holy Church and all Its members against the snares of the enemy, the powers of evil, and all temporal misfortunes; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all false doctrine and loss of faith; Deliver us, O Lord.
From famine, disease, and plague; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all captivity by our enemies; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the snares of the legions of Hell; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of the world and the flesh; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of pride and disobedience; Deliver us, O Lord.
That Godʼs Holy Church may dwell in peace and unity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thy True Catholic Church may spread throughout all nations; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve, bless, and defend the Bishop Thou hast chosen to govern Thy flock; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to the members of Thy Church the grace to live in humility and obedience; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all the members of Thy Holy Church be preserved from all spiritual and physical harm; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst sustain all the members of Thy One, True, Church in holiness, physical well-being, and material necessity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst convert all peoples to Thy One, True, Holy, Catholic Church; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church and our parishes from all division, dissension, and disunity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church from all those who have fallen into heresy and schism; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst inspire in the hearts of the faithful a greater spirit of charity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant the blessings of wisdom and holiness to our Clerics in preparing for the Priesthood; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our Priests and Religious in the spirit of charity, piety, holiness, and fervent zeal for souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Thou wouldst bless all of our missionary and apostolic labors and grant abundant conversion of souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant abundant laborers to work in the harvest of souls, and grant to all of our Religious perseverance in their holy Vocation; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst imbue our youth with the spirit of piety and love of their Holy Faith; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to Thy Church a favorable outcome in all our court cases, legal actions, and attacks of the press and all of our enemies; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bless our Diocese, our Priory, our Friary, our Seminary, our Convent, our schools, and all our apostolic undertakings; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.

Let us pray:
Almighty and Everlasting God, we commend unto Thee Thy Holy Catholic Church: that Thou wouldst grant unto Her peace, unity, and Thy protection, while shielding Her against the attacks of Her enemies and subjecting to Her the powers of evil. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the many blessings Thou hast bestowed upon us, and we beseech Thee to assist us to live peaceful and tranquil lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Consider first, that as the desire of wisdom is the true beginning of wisdom, so the first step to the love of God, (which is true wisdom indeed,) is an earnest desire to love God. "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after this heavenly justice, for they shall be filled,’" (St. Matthew 5). This desire makes us pray frequently, seek incessantly, knock earnestly at the gate of Divine Love. It makes us rise early in quest of the heavenly wisdom; it makes us glad to part with all things else, that we may purchase this precious pearl, that we may acquire this incomparable treasure. He that with this desire aspires after divine love, already begins to possess what he desires; and the more he relishes the sweetness of what he begins to possess, the more he aspires after it. Thus the desire of love begets love, and love begets a stronger desire, which begets a stronger love. So that the great means of learning to love God is, by repeated desires and acts of love to taste and see how sweet God is, and how sweet a thing it is to love.

Consider 2ndly, that Divine Love will not be found by us, nor come to dwell in our souls, if we take no care to keep our inward house clean and pure for our beloved. "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God," (St. Matthew 5). So that if we entertain in our interior any irregular company, that is, if our affections are set upon worldly vanities, upon filthy lucre, upon sensual pleasures, upon gratifying our corrupt inclinations, Divine Love will not come near us; because it cannot endure such unclean company as this is, nor dwell in a soul that is enslaved to worldly desires and disorderly passions. These are to be parted with, or at least brought into order and subjection, if we would learn to love God. This is the meaning of that Gospel lesson of selling all to acquire the precious pearl of the kingdom of God, by His love reigning in our souls. The kingdom of Divine Love will allow of no rival, no usurper, no rebel in its dominions. The spouse of Divine Love must belong wholly to her spouse alone, she must be a garden close shut to all others, a "fountain sealed up" for Him alone, (Canticle. 5). So that another necessary means of attaining Divine Love is a general mortification of all foreign and irregular affections.

Consider 3rdly, that the sovereign means of acquiring Divine Love is the daily exercise of mental prayer, which employs all the powers of the soul in waiting upon God. Here the memory represents all the motives we have to love Him; here the understanding is taught to know Him; here the affections of the will are inflamed by His presence - this then is the true school of love. O my soul, let us daily frequent it, not only by having a regular time fixed for this great exercise of love, but by practicing it in some measure at all times, by a spirit of recollection, by a continual sense and remembrance of God’s presence, by frequently calling back the soul to Him from all her distractions and evagations, by repeated aspirations and ejaculations of love, etc. This is walking with God indeed, like the ancient saints this is taking God along with us wherever we are going, and whatever we are doing; this is walking in love. O how happy is that life which is thus dedicated to Divine Love.

Conclude to embrace all the means that may bring thee to this happiness. O begin now from this hour to set out in quest of this fountain of life! Let no opposition of earth or hell discourage thee. Never leave off thy search till thou come to drink of this heavenly water, which will become in thee a fountain springing up to everlasting life." Source: Challoner's Meditations

Litany of the Saints

then

On this day of Rogation, we beg of Thee, O Lord, in Thy mercy, to hear and answer our fervent petitions:

Do Thou, O Lord, defend Thy Holy Church and all Its members against the snares of the enemy, the powers of evil, and all temporal misfortunes; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all false doctrine and loss of faith; Deliver us, O Lord.
From famine, disease, and plague; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all captivity by our enemies; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the snares of the legions of Hell; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of the world and the flesh; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of pride and disobedience; Deliver us, O Lord.
That Godʼs Holy Church may dwell in peace and unity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thy True Catholic Church may spread throughout all nations; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve, bless, and defend the Bishop Thou hast chosen to govern Thy flock; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to the members of Thy Church the grace to live in humility and obedience; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all the members of Thy Holy Church be preserved from all spiritual and physical harm; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst sustain all the members of Thy One, True, Church in holiness, physical well-being, and material necessity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst convert all peoples to Thy One, True, Holy, Catholic Church; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church and our parishes from all division, dissension, and disunity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church from all those who have fallen into heresy and schism; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst inspire in the hearts of the faithful a greater spirit of charity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant the blessings of wisdom and holiness to our Clerics in preparing for the Priesthood; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our Priests and Religious in the spirit of charity, piety, holiness, and fervent zeal for souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Thou wouldst bless all of our missionary and apostolic labors and grant abundant conversion of souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant abundant laborers to work in the harvest of souls, and grant to all of our Religious perseverance in their holy Vocation; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst imbue our youth with the spirit of piety and love of their Holy Faith; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to Thy Church a favorable outcome in all our court cases, legal actions, and attacks of the press and all of our enemies; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bless our Diocese, our Priory, our Friary, our Seminary, our Convent, our schools, and all our apostolic undertakings; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.

Let us pray:
Almighty and Everlasting God, we commend unto Thee Thy Holy Catholic Church: that Thou wouldst grant unto Her peace, unity, and Thy protection, while shielding Her against the attacks of Her enemies and subjecting to Her the powers of evil. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the many blessings Thou hast bestowed upon us, and we beseech Thee to assist us to live peaceful and tranquil lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation by Bishop Challoner:

Rogation Sunday on the Devotion of the Time:

  " Consider first, that these days, between this Sunday and the ascension of our Lord, are days of devotion, and are called rogation-days, because they are set aside by the Church for solemn prayers and supplications, joined with abstinence and penance, in order to turn away the wrath of God, provoked by our sins; and to remove far from us His scourges of wars, plagues, famines, &c.; to implore His mercy for ourselves, and for all His people; and to beg His blessing upon the fruits of the earth. As the first institution of the devotion of these days was occasioned by a terrible scene of disasters and visible judgments of God upon the people, to which a stop was put by dedicating these three days to prayer and penance; so the success that attended this first essay has encouraged the Church to an annual practice of the like devotion ever since. Hence we may learn, with what dispositions of soul we ought to present ourselves before the throne of grace at this time; with what a lively sense of the guilt of our sins, and of the judgments we deserve for them both here and hereafter; with what desire to return to God from our sins, and to offer Him the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart for them, and to join, as it were in a body, at this time, with the whole people of God, in suing in a proper manner for His mercy, with most humble supplication and fervent prayers. See, my soul, if these be thy dispositions.

   Consider 2ndly, that although we do not every day feel the heavy hand of divine justice by the experience of public calamities, or other visible judgments, yet if we consider the guilt of so many crying sins, not only of particular persons, but even of whole nations, which are continually calling to God for vengeance, we shall find too much reason to apprehend that the sword of God’s justice is even now hanging over our heads and that the worst of His judgments will quickly fall upon Christendom in general, if not averted by prayer and penance. This consideration ought to determine all Christians in general (even the most innocent, if they have any concern for the public danger, or true charity for the souls of their neighbors,) gladly to embrace so happy an opportunity as this of joining with all the children of God in humiliations and prayer, in order to prevent the thunder of heaven from suddenly breaking over our heads, and hurrying away thousands into the bottomless pit. And as for every particular sinner, now is the most favorable time for him to sue for mercy, because at this time the whole Church joins in a particular manner in praying for all sinners. And if he should neglect this opportunity, what may he not justly fear from his repeated treason; from the wrath of God above, ready to fall upon him; from the mouth of hell below, gaping to devour him; from the devil, to whom he has sold himself; and from that monster, mortal sin, (which is even worse than the devil,) which he always carries about with him! O sinners, neglect not these days of salvation, lest they never return to you any more. Now is your time - hereafter there may be no time for you.

Consider 3rdly, the encouragement we have both in the Epistle and the Gospel of the Rogations, to look for mercy and for all good, both for ourselves and for our neighbors, from humble and fervent prayer. In the Epistle (St. James 5) we are taught the great efficacy of continual prayer, with an exhortation to pray for one another, in order to salvation and a declaration of what the reward will be of them that contribute to the salvation of others. In the Gospel (St. Luke 11) we are exhorted by Christ our Lord to a holy importunity and perseverance in prayer; and we are taught by the example of a friend, and of a father, to look for good gifts from our heavenly Father by the means of earnest prayer. O what a friend indeed, what a parent have we in Him! or who is like to Him in bounty and mercy? Let us then be encouraged by these divine oracles, "To go with confidence at this time to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid.' Heb. 4. 16.

   Conclude to join at this time with the whole Church of God in prayer and penance, that thou mayest obtain mercy both for thyself and for thy neighbors. Heaven can never resist a general assault made by the whole people of God by the means of prayer, when joined with a contrite and humble heart."

"Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Thursday were instituted by the Church to appease divine justice, to ask protection in calamities, and invoke Godʼs blessing on the harvest .

These Rogation Days are of French origin, coming about in the 5th c., when St. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienne, Dauphiné instituted them after a series of natural calamities.
Rogation is simply an English form of the Latin rogatio, which comes from the verb rogare, which means "to ask". The Rogation Days were marked by the recitation of the litany of the Saints which would normally begin in or at a church.

After Saint Mary was invoked, the congregation would proceed to walk the boundaries of the parish, while reciting the rest of the litany (and repeating it as necessary or supplementing it with some of the penitential or gradual Psalms). Thus, the entire parish would be blessed, and the boundaries of the parish would be marked. The procession would end with a Rogation Mass, in which all in the parish were expected to take part. If your parish does not celebrate the Rogation Days, you may mark the days by reciting the Litany of the saints and fasting. Source: LiturgiaLatina

Litany to obtain Holy Priests:

Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Christ, hear us
Christ, Graciously hear us

God, Our Heavenly Father, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God, The Holy Ghost, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, Three Persons in one God, have mercy on us

Lord, obtain for us priests
Lord, obtain for us holy priests and make us docile to their teachings

Holy Mary, Queen of the Clergy, obtain for us holy priests
Saint Joseph, Patron of the Church, obtain for us holy priests
Saint Michael, splendor and protector of the Church militant, obtain for us holy priests

All you holy Saints and Archangels, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Martyrs and Virgins, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Bishops and Confessors, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Priests and Doctors, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Founders of religious orders, obtain for us holy priests

St. Anthony of Padua, defender of the Holy Eucharist, obtain for us holy priests
St. John-Mary Vianney, model of sacerdotal holiness, obtain for us holy priests
St. Francis Xavier, patron of missionary priests, obtain for us holy priests
St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, victim offered for the sanctification of priests, obtain for us holy priests
Saints and Servants of God, obtain for us holy priests.

To celebrate with reverence the Holy Mysteries, obtain for us holy priests
To offer every day the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, obtain for us holy priests
To feed the people of God with the Bread of life, obtain for us holy priests
To promote the splendors of the Divine Worship, obtain for us holy priests
To regenerate souls through baptism, obtain for us holy priests
To instruct the faithful in the Holy Faith, obtain for us holy priests
To keep the faithful in the fear of the Lord, obtain for us holy priests
To announce to all the Word of God, obtain for us holy priests
To unmask and combat false doctrines, obtain for us holy priests
To fortify the Faith of those who doubt, obtain for us holy priests
To support and encourage those who fail, obtain for us holy priests
To raise up those who fall and to reconcile them to God, obtain for us holy priests
To bring back to God those who rejected Him, obtain for us holy priests
To protect christian morality, obtain for us holy priests

To fight with zeal the corruption of morality, obtain for us holy priests
To bless holy unions, obtain for us holy priests
To defend the honor and sanctity of marriage, obtain for us holy priests
To strengthen the happiness of our christian families, obtain for us holy priests
To fortify and console our sicks and those who suffer, obtain for us holy priests
To assist our dying ones, obtain for us holy priests
To lead our dead to eternal happiness, obtain for us holy priests
To pray and offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for our dead, obtain for us holy priests
To give glory to God, and to give grace and peace to souls of good will, obtain for us holy priests.

Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

The Lord chose for Himself priests so that they will offer Him a worthy thanksgiving.

Let us pray: God Almighty and merciful, favorably grant the prayers of Your faithful and grant to those whom You have given the immense generosity of your clemency, to be elevated to the service of the heavenly mysteries, to become worthy ministers at Your sacred altars, so that their teachings be confirmed by Your sanctification, through Our Lord Jesus-Christ, Amen.

Translated by CAPG (Litanies pour Obtenir de Saints Prêtres)

May: Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Virtue: Meekness

Our Lady of North Carolina (authored by CAPG)

Our Lady of North Carolina, increase the ranks of our priests by inspiring our young men to be more generous in their response to serve Our Blessed Lord in the priesthood and in religious life. Amen.

Jules Breton, "The Blessing of the Fields," 1857

According to the previous liturgical calendar (1962), today is the Feast of St. Mark, and the Major Rogation Day. While no longer required after Vatican II, Rogation Days can still be observed by the faithful. Fasting and penance were required, and there were special liturgy and litanies for this day. Catholic Culture)

"On the feast of St. Mark Rogations take place, which are called the major Rogations or Litanies. The word Rogation is of Latin derivation, and means a petition, a prayer. A litany, originally meant a common, alternately spoken prayer. In the course of time this word was transferred to rogation, so that, in the language of the Church, Litany and Rogation are synonymous. The rogations of St. Mark's day are called the major rogations or Litanies, because from the beginning they were held with greater solemnity than the rogations in Rogation Week. These rogations on the feast of St. Mark are of very ancient date, for they can be traced back to St. Gregory the Great, who introduced them in the year 590. They have for their object to beg God in the spirit of humility and penance, that He may graciously protect us from all those evils with which natures threatens us. For, on account of the sins by which we have desecrated it, nature is in opposition to us, and causes us many damages. God being the Lord of nature, we supplicate Him by united prayers, that He may avert from us everything dangerous to our person and property." (The Pulpit Orator, page 147, By Rev. John Evangelist Zollner, 1884.)

"The object of these days? devotions is to ask of God, from whom every good and perfect gift proceeds, that He would be pleased to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, and bestow upon His creatures all those temporal blessings that are necessary for them in the course of their mortal pilgrimage. Besides the actual graces received by the devotions of the Rogations Days, the fact itself of being reminded to have recourse to Almighty God for temporal blessings is of great advantage in this material age, when the all-sufficiency of man has become one of the leading dogmas of misguided persons." (The Litanies, The Sacramentals of the Holy Catholic Church Page 197.)

St. Mark, Evangelist

The Solemn Invocations
On this day of Rogation, we beg of Thee, O Lord, in Thy mercy, to hear and answer our fervent petitions:

Do Thou, O Lord, defend Thy Holy Church and all Its members against the snares of the enemy, the powers of evil, and all temporal misfortunes; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all false doctrine and loss of faith; Deliver us, O Lord.
From famine, disease, and plague; Deliver us, O Lord.
From all captivity by our enemies; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the snares of the legions of Hell; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of the world and the flesh; Deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of pride and disobedience; Deliver us, O Lord.
That Godʼs Holy Church may dwell in peace and unity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thy True Catholic Church may spread throughout all nations; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve, bless, and defend the Bishop Thou hast chosen to govern Thy flock; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to the members of Thy Church the grace to live in humility and obedience; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all the members of Thy Holy Church be preserved from all spiritual and physical harm; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst sustain all the members of Thy One, True, Church in holiness, physical well-being, and material necessity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst convert all peoples to Thy One, True, Holy, Catholic Church; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church and our parishes from all division, dissension, and disunity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve Thy Church from all those who have fallen into heresy and schism; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst inspire in the hearts of the faithful a greater spirit of charity; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant the blessings of wisdom and holiness to our Clerics in preparing for the Priesthood; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our Priests and Religious in the spirit of charity, piety, holiness, and fervent zeal for souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Thou wouldst bless all of our missionary and apostolic labors and grant abundant conversion of souls; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant abundant laborers to work in the harvest of souls, and grant to all of our Religious perseverance in their holy Vocation; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst imbue our youth with the spirit of piety and love of their Holy Faith; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant to Thy Church a favorable outcome in all our court cases, legal actions, and attacks of the press and all of our enemies; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bless our Diocese, our Priory, our Friary, our Seminary, our Convent, our schools, and all our apostolic undertakings; O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us.

Let us pray:
Almighty and Everlasting God, we commend unto Thee Thy Holy Catholic Church: that Thou wouldst grant unto Her peace, unity, and Thy protection, while shielding Her against the attacks of Her enemies and subjecting to Her the powers of evil. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the many blessings Thou hast bestowed upon us, and we beseech Thee to assist us to live peaceful and tranquil lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Joseph, Mother of Mercy, Washington, NC

"The Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, which a decree of the Congregation of Rites has fixed on the third Sunday after Easter, originated among the Carmelites in 1680. A general chapter of the Carmelites had already, in 1621, solemnly recognized St. Joseph as patron and father of all the order. Some churches soon adopted the Feast of the Patronage. At present, in virtue of a decree of the 10th September, it extends to all Catholicity. Among the Redemptorists and Passionists, in the Society of Mary and the Society of Jesus, it is celebrated with its own octave and office, with the double rite of first class." Devotion to Saint Joseph by Fr. Giuseppe Antonio Patrignani 1897

The Chair of St. Peter

"A day in memory of St. Peter's fixing his episcopal see at Antioch; where, as St. Luke informs us, the followers of Christ were first called Christians. It was just that the prince of the apostles should take this city under his particular care and inspection, which was then the capital of the East, and in which the faith took so early and deep root. St. Chrysostom says that St. Peter made a long stay at Antioch. St. Gregory the Great, that he was seven years bishop of that Church. St. Leo says that we ought to celebrate the chair of St. Peter with no less joy than the day of his martyrdom, for as in this he was exalted to a throne of glory in heaven, so by the former he was installed head of the Church on earth.

On this festival, adore and thank the divine goodness for the establishment and propagation of his Church; and earnestly pray that in his mercy he would preserve the same and extend it, that his name may be glorified by all nations and by all hearts to the boundaries of the earth. The Church of Christ is his spiritual kingdom. He not only founded it, but continues to govern it, and by his spirit to animate its members to the end of the world as its visible head; though he has left St. Peter and his successors as a visible head for its exterior government.

Give thanks on this day for the propagation of the gospel among the Gentiles; and pray that it may be still more and more enlarged, for the enlightening all those who sit in darkness, and know not God. Pray in particular for the people of the East. Pray for all the prelates in Christ's Church, that as they succeed the apostles, they may be animated with an apostolic spirit in renouncing the world and its ways, and applying themselves wholly to the good of their flock. Pray that none may be admitted to that dignity, but such as are truly qualified for the charge, and called by God, as the apostles were. Pray likewise for the peace and unity of the Church, for the remedying all abuses, and that there may be one pastor and one fold." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother

“The office divinely committed to Us of feeding the Lord’s flock has especially this duty assigned to it by Christ, namely, to guard with the greatest vigilance the deposit of the faith delivered to the saints, rejecting the profane novelties of words and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called. There has never been a time when this watchfulness of the supreme pastor was not necessary to the Catholic body; for, owing to the efforts of the enemy of the human race, there have never been lacking ‘men speaking perverse things’ (Acts xx. 30), ‘vain talkers and seducers’ (Tit. i. 10), ‘erring and driving into error’ (2 Tim. iii. 13). Still, it must be confessed that the number of the enemies of the cross of Christ has in these last days increased exceedingly, who are striving, by arts entirely new and full of subtlety, to destroy the vital energy of the Church, and, if they can, to overthrow utterly Christ’s kingdom itself. Wherefore, We may no longer be silent, lest We should seem to fail in Our most sacred duty, and lest the kindness that, in the hope of wiser counsels, We have hitherto shown them, should be attributed to forgetfulness of Our office.“ -- Pope St. Pius X, Pascendi Dominici Gregis, 1907

Mary as Mother of Priests is in the Dominican Priory Church of the Holy Cross in Leicester. by Lawrence OP

"Listen to what our Holy Father, Pope Pius XI, says: " God in heaven and I on earth, we desire nothing more ardently than prayer and sacrifice for priests...Let us beg God that He may give holy priests! If we have this, all else will follow; but if this be wanting, all else will avail nothing." It was from this trend of thought that the idea of the Priest's Saturday" took its origin, which idea the Superior General of the Salvatorian Fathers placed before the Holy Father in special private audience on November 21, 1934. His Holiness was much pleased with the plan and said, in conclusion: "We heartily praise and bless the work....We repeat, the thing pleases Us, We praise and bless it heartily."

What is the plan?

The Priest's Saturday:

It is something quite simple and easy, yet immeasurable great in its results. You should make it a point to offer the Saturday after the First Friday of each month to your Savior, through the hands of Mary, the great mediatrix of all graces, for the sanctification of all the priests and students for the priesthood throughout the whole world. For this purpose you should give the Saturday wholly and entirely to Him, that is to say, Holy Mass, Holy Communion, all prayers, labors, sacrifices, joys and sorrows. Whatever you cannot do on this day (Holy Mass and Holy Communion) you ought to supply immediately on Sunday. So there is really nothing new for you to do. You merely offer up this Saturday (or even every Saturday or some other day) for the sanctification of priests. It is not a case of any sodality of fraternity or anything like that. Like the First Friday in honor of the Sacred Heart, the Priest's Saturday seeks to become something religiously observed by all the Catholics of the world.

(...) Concern about the holiness of priests is the concern of the Heart of the Divine Savior and of His blessed Mother. Therefore, you also should be sure to take part in this "apostolate to the apostles. " The Holy Father, all bishops, all priests, all students for the priesthood, and especially also your own pastor, earnestly beg of you thus to participate."

Source: Priest's Saturday Series, #2 Prayers and Devotions for Priest's Day. used with permission

Priests' First Saturday. Prayer:

Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, Who hast entrusted the whole work of Thy redemption, the welfare and salvation of the world, to priests as Thy representatives, through the hands of Thy most holy Mother and for the sanctification of Thy priests and candidates for the priesthood I offer Thee this present day wholly and entirely, with all its prayers, works, sacrifices, joys, and sorrows.

Give truly holy priests who, inflamed with the fire of Thy divine love, seek nothing but Thy greater glory and the salvation of our souls.

And thou, 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

In addition to the above make it a point also to recite frequently the following:

Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, Who Hast entrusted the weal and woes of Thy Holy Church to priests, with all the fervor of my heart I recommend to Thee the wants of my pastor and all priests. Enrich them more and more with true priestly sanctity. Give them generous, all embracing, apostolic hearts, full of love for Thee and for all Thy souls, so that they, being themselves sanctified in Thee, may sanctify us who are confided to their care, and may lead us safely to heaven. Bestow upon them in rich abundance all Thy priestly graces!

Let them ever give us a glowing example of love and fidelity towards Holy Mother Church, towards the Pope, and bishops, and grant that by word and example they may shine as models of every virtue.

Most loving Jesus, bless all their priestly labors and sacrifices! Bless all their prayers and words at the altar and in the confessional, in the pulpit, and in school, in confraternities, and at the bedside of the sick!
Protect and preserve them in all dangers from within and from without.

Divine Savior, give to Thy Church priests who abound in true holiness! Call many good boys and young men to the priestly and religious state! Aid and sanctify all those who are to become Thy priests! And to the souls of departed priests grant everlasting rest.

But to me give a true spirit of faith and humble obedience, in order that in my pastor I may ever behold the representative of God and willingly follow all his teachings. Amen

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