VOCATIONS
PARISH VOCATION ENRICHMENT TEAM  (PVET)

Prayer for Priests in the weekly bulletin

This is our example of how we have incorporated our prayer for priests into each weekly bulletin. 

PRAY FOR PRIESTS & FUTURE PRIESTS: “Eternal Father, we lift up to you these and all the priests of the world. Sanctify them. Heal and guide them. Mold them into the likeness and holiness of your Son, Jesus, the Eternal High Priest. May their lives be pleasing to you In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.”   

Then the week's listing of intentions for priests, vocations and seminarians follows.

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LITANY FOR PRIESTS

Jesus, you emptied yourself for our sake
fill our priests with your spirit of selfless love.
Jesus, you became poor for our sake,
enrich our priests with your spirit of generosity.
Jesus, you are the Word made flesh,
give our priests strength and energy to preach your Good news.
Jesus, you sought out the sick and rejected,
touch our priests with your healing power.
Jesus, you always trusted in the Father,
help our priests to trust in your promises.
Pope Benedict XVI has declared a “Year for Priests” which began with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 19, 2009. The year will conclude in Rome with an international gathering of priests with the Holy Father on June 19, 2010.

Jesus, you were strong in the face of temptation and dejection,
support our priests in times of trial.
Jesus, you became the servant of all,
strengthen our priests for your service.
Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood,
nourish our priests with your compassionate concern for all.
Jesus, you died for us so that we may be free,
grant our priests the ability to bring that freedom to all people.
Jesus, you rose to glory and conquered death,
enliven our priests as messengers of hope to all.
Jesus, you are the image of the unseen God,
show your face to our priests.
Bless and care for our priests,
give them joy and peace in their service,
love for you and all your people,
confidence in your loving kindness, and
an ability to recover from their mistakes.
May the Holy Spirit give them renewed energy and
a creative impulse to proclaim the Good News to the ends of the earth. Amen.
Mary, mother of us all, watch over all your children, especially our priests.
St. John Marie Vianney, patron of priests, protect our priests with your constant intercession.
 

Prayer for Vocations by Pope John Paul II

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, bless all our parishes with numerous priests, deacons, men and women in religious life, consecrated laity and missionaries, according to the needs of the entire world, which you love and wish to save.

Assist our pastors and all who live a consecrated life. Guide the steps of those who have responded generously to your call and are preparing to receive Holy Orders or to profess vows.

Look with love on young people and call them to follow you.

Help them to understand that in you alone can they attain complete fulfillment.

To this end we call on the powerful intercession of Mary, mother and model of all vocations. We beseech you to sustain our faith that the Father will grant what you command us to ask. Amen

Loving Father,
I know you love me and have great plans for me.
Help me to walk in your love every day.
Show me and all your people your way and help us to listen to you.
I pray for all those you are calling to be priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers.
May they respond in love to your call.
Please make my heart always ready to do what you want.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here I am Lord, standing at the crossroads of my life,
The time has come for me to choose the road that leads to you.
I hesitate for fear of what lies ahead of me,
For I am much afraid of the unknown.
Take my hand in Yours and walk with me, for the road is long,
And there are no short cuts.
I place myself into your hands.
You know the way, You are the way. Amen.

God of mercy, through the intercession of St. Jude, we pray to you to bless our parishes with numerous vocations to the religious life. We ask you to bless us with saintly men and women who seek to follow Jesus Christ more perfectly in poverty, chastity and obedience. We ask you to bless and protect all religious brothers and sisters vowed to your service and to increase their holiness and apostolic zeal, that through their prayers and good works the Kingdom of Christ might continue to grow in our homes, in our parish and in our world.

Almighty Father, through the intercession of St. Jude, we pray you to raise up from within our parishes many holy priests and deacons to proclaim your holy gospel and to celebrate your Sacred Mysteries. We ask you to bless and protect our Holy Father and all bishops, priests, and deacons, whom you have chosen as shepherds of your flock and anointed with your Holy Spirit. We ask you to keep them strong in faith, full of hope and overflowing with charity, that through their life and ministry the Church born from Christ's wounded side might continue to grow in grace and holiness.

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Vocation Prayer of Generosity

God, our Father,
in Baptism You called us by name, making us members of Your People, the Church. We praise and thank You for Your gifts. Father, we ask You that Your Spirit strengthen us to live in love and service to others after the example of Your Son Jesus. Father, look upon Your Church with love and bless Your people with the servants She needs.

Choose from our parishes, from our homes, from our schools and colleges, an abundant harvest of dedicated disciples for service in Your Church: sisters, brothers, deacons, priests, missionaries. We pray that those whom You call may never lose awareness of the dignity and need of their vocation.

Continue to bless and strengthen those who have already responded to Your call.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Vocation Prayer for Our Lady's Intercession

O Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, help all those called by your Son, Jesus, to say a joyful YES,
as you did in the Annunciation. Amen.

Family Vocation Prayer

Loving God, each member of our family is a special gift from You.

You have given each of us gifts and talents so we may enjoy life but also so we can share with others. Generous women and men, boys and girls, are needed for service and leadership in our Church.

Help us know how to encourage and support each other so we can respond generously to this need by becoming the kind of people You want us to be. We know that You will be with us ... Help us to trust in You and in each other. Amen.

Prayer for Vocations (said at St. Andrews in Moore, Oklahoma)

Father, You call all your sons and daughters to love and serve you all the days of our lives. We ask you to raise up from among us more men who are willing to serve your church as priests and servant leaders.

We pray also for vocations to religious life, that more men and women may be willing to be spiritual leaders as consecrated Sisters and Brothers.

Finally, we pray for vocations to Christian family life. May more men and women recognize and respond to the call to become faithful husbands and wives whose love is Christ-like. May they be generous in bringing children into the world for whom they will be examples of faith and spiritual leaders.

We give you thanks for every good gift and seek from you every grace and blessing through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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