CAPG's Blog 

"The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. (Ps Lxviii. 12.) Thus I spake by the mouth of my prophet.

Of the zeal I had for God's holy temple I have repeated proofs. Twice did I cast out of it those who profaned its courts, with an indignation unwonted in me, and commanded that everything incongruous with the sanctity of that place should be expelled from it. (Jo. ii. 15, Math. xxi. 12).

And thou shouldst imitate me in the vehemence of a holy zeal, and not endure that my house of prayer, wherein I abide by my real Presence in the Holy Eucharist, should ever be profaned,

I have much against some of my priests; partly because they are timid and afraid to oppose themselves boldly to the profanations of the impious, and partly because they are negligent and careless in the things which concern my Divine worship.

From a spurious meekness or a false prudence they allow things to pass unrebuked, which become profane customs, and permit me to be insulted to my face in my own house.

If the profaners of my sanctuary saw that my priests were vigilant and severe guardians of my house, they would remain without, and I should not be so often insulted.

I have also to complain that they are careless and negligent in the things which serve for my worship. That decency and decorum which should ever be found there is often wanting.

Alas, there are some priests who would not endure that their own houses should be as unadorned, squalid, and dirty as they suffer my churches to be. They would not suffer in their rooms hangings and ornaments as forlorn and dusty as they permit on my altars; nor would they allow on their own table linen dirty and mended as is that which they use in the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

Nor let them seek to excuse themselves on the plea of their church's property; for cleanliness and decency require no great outlay. Neither indeed would I allow any priest who has the holy zeal for my house to want for anything.

Neither let them say, that it is for others to look after the material wants of their church; because if they are negligent, my priests should show themselves careful: they at least are bound to remedy these evils, and put a stop to indecencies which offend the piety of my people and discourage their faith in holy things.

Do thou, therefore, strive to imitate me in this holy zeal; use every means to hinder every profanation of my church, and keep it with the greatest decency and cleanliness, as one should who really believes it is my house, in which it pleases me to dwell day and night by my real Presence."

Source: Jesus Christ the model of the priest (Of the Priest's zeal according to Christ.)[by G. Frassinetti] tr. by Rev. Msgr. J.L. Patterson 1874

Prayer to God to save the Church by Sanctifying His priests who have fallen away

O God, our Lord, we obey without delay to Thy gracious invitation to pray. Encouraged by Thy desire, we worship at your sacred feet, crying out to Thee for our guilty priests. Deign to be reminded, Lord, that Thy priestly Body is Thy crown of predilection, the splendor of Thy glory, the chosen part of Thy heritage.

We implore Thee to arm Thyself with holy indignation against Satan, who dared to plant the banner of sin in Thy own sanctuary, and to chase him away in shame from Thy solemnly dedicated domain.

What would it cost Thee, O Lord, to turn the most hardened hearts into penitents? Only one simple glance at Peter was enough to retrieve him from the abyss of a three times apostasy; would it cost Thee more to touch and convert those who have had the misfortune to imitate his weakness?

O Jesus, our King and Pontiff, we beseech Thee on behalf of Mary, Thy Mother and ours, save the Church, save Thy faithful, save Thy blessed honor, by saving priests! Amen.

Source: CAPG