Prayer for Priests
I’d like to share a poem I got from the email today. It is a poem of a young boy who entered the seminary but left disappointed with the church.
THIRTEEN
Childhood fled me too soon,
Chased away by pious men in black cassocks.
A young life
regimented by clanging bell.
Throat with homesick lump
trying to sing Gregorian Chant;
The sweet loneliness of the Kyria,
Tear brimmed eyes of belief in the Credo,
Looking for my father in the Pater Noster.
Devout visits to the quiet chapel,
Soft talks with God.
Mentors edging me along the evangelical road,
then THAT priest said,
'You've played with yourself and come.'
And all I knew then
was that coming was the opposite of going.
So I went.
~~~Aidan Sharkey
The poem reminded me that Pope Benedict XVI declared June 19, 2009 up to June 19, 2010 as the year of the Priest. A call for all to pray for the priests especially for their spiritual perfection.
The church has experienced a lot of scandals lately and it has drawn so many people away from her which is a sad thing. But I guess that is precisely why the Pope declared the year of the Priest. They sure need our prayer. And I like to post here a prayer that is tacked in the pews of the adoration chapel in Binondo. I always pray it when I go there and I find it a very appropriate prayer especially the last part:
Prayer for priest, religious and vocation
Lord Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, strengthen all our priests in their vocation and bless their efforts and labors. Let them always be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Give them wisdom, patience and strength so that they may promote Your glory, spread Your kingdom in the hearts of men and lead the souls entrusted to them to eternal life.
Make all our religious brothers and sisters strong to resist all temptations and victorious over the attacks of their enemies and stretch over them Your hand so that they may still be enriched and become more worthy of Your love
Raise up in Your Church many holy priests and religious brothers and sisters. Grant that all whom You have chosen from eternity for your service may follow Your call and that nobody may enter into our sanctuary without being called. Amen.
And I really say Amen to that.
THIRTEEN
Childhood fled me too soon,
Chased away by pious men in black cassocks.
A young life
regimented by clanging bell.
Throat with homesick lump
trying to sing Gregorian Chant;
The sweet loneliness of the Kyria,
Tear brimmed eyes of belief in the Credo,
Looking for my father in the Pater Noster.
Devout visits to the quiet chapel,
Soft talks with God.
Mentors edging me along the evangelical road,
then THAT priest said,
'You've played with yourself and come.'
And all I knew then
was that coming was the opposite of going.
So I went.
~~~Aidan Sharkey
The poem reminded me that Pope Benedict XVI declared June 19, 2009 up to June 19, 2010 as the year of the Priest. A call for all to pray for the priests especially for their spiritual perfection.
The church has experienced a lot of scandals lately and it has drawn so many people away from her which is a sad thing. But I guess that is precisely why the Pope declared the year of the Priest. They sure need our prayer. And I like to post here a prayer that is tacked in the pews of the adoration chapel in Binondo. I always pray it when I go there and I find it a very appropriate prayer especially the last part:
Prayer for priest, religious and vocation
Lord Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, strengthen all our priests in their vocation and bless their efforts and labors. Let them always be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Give them wisdom, patience and strength so that they may promote Your glory, spread Your kingdom in the hearts of men and lead the souls entrusted to them to eternal life.
Make all our religious brothers and sisters strong to resist all temptations and victorious over the attacks of their enemies and stretch over them Your hand so that they may still be enriched and become more worthy of Your love
Raise up in Your Church many holy priests and religious brothers and sisters. Grant that all whom You have chosen from eternity for your service may follow Your call and that nobody may enter into our sanctuary without being called. Amen.
And I really say Amen to that.
posted by elizabeth | 11:21 PM
2 Comments:
Well, I also say Amen to that and feel that Beth is a nun without the habit. Goodness is goodness and it resides in the heart of this good woman.
Here here I do so agree, Beth's faith & love of God is surely true!
God bless her & her family too!! I know she is and will always spread the word....
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