CAPG's Blog 

"PRAY for all pastors in God's Church, that with zeal and diligence they may discharge their duties; and that the salvation of souls and performing the will of God, may urge them to sacrifice themselves wholly to his service, and to the good of their flock.

Pray that they may all instruct their flocks by word and example, and first practise the Gospel which they preach. Pray for all pastors, that they may inherit the true spirit of the apostles: that they may betray no weakness in seeking or loving the things of this world; but that while others pursue what is temporal, they may say with sincerity: "The Lord is our portion";  that they may, with a watchful eye superintend their charge, not permitting those to eat the fruits of vineyard, who refuse to work in it; nor allowing those to wear the shepherd's garb, who are truly wolves, continually devouring the flock by their disorders and scandalous lives. O God! have regard to thy fold, and deliver it from these destroying evils.

It being an exasperated prince, who disturbed the peace of the Church, and was the occasion of the sacrilegious murder of St. Thomas of Canterbury, pray on this day for all Christian kings and princes, that God would be their guide in all things, and make them the protectors of His holy Church.

{St. Thomas having been archbishop of Canterbury, we ought on this festival to offer up our prayers to God in behalf of our country (England), that he would be its protector, and visit it with his heavenly blessings. Beg of him to be no longer angry with this nation, but to remember his ancient mercies; and for the sake of so many of his holy servants who here have been faithful to him, to show now compassion to us, and let his former mercies be renewed, and let not his anger endure for ever. Pray to St. Thomas now glorious in heaven, to intercede for his unhappy country, and procure its conversion from vice and error.}" The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother