Thoughts and updates from Fr. Albert
This weekend was priesthood Sunday. As everyone is painfully aware, the priesthood has had a rough couple of years. With major scandals rising up all the way to the top of the Church, much of the world has lost any respect it had for priests and even Catholics express doubt in the priesthood. While it is true that we have always had sinful priests in the Church, there aren’t many times in our Church’s history that have been quite so bad as it is now.
And yet, there is real hope. Those of you who got to know Luke Kirk experienced for yourselves the caliber of men seeking the priesthood now. There are many good men like him who, despite the scandal and difficulty, are choosing to embrace the call to serve the Church. They will likely spend their entire lives cleaning up messes someone else made and suffering for sins they didn’t’ commit. They know that and they choose to persevere. There is so much more to be said, but for this week, I’ll content myself with imploring your prayer for priests and all seeking the priesthood. I recommend to you this prayer for priest from St. Teresa of Calcutta:
Mary, Mother of Jesus, throw your mantle of purity over our priests. Protect them, guide them, and keep them in your heart. Be a Mother to them, especially in times of discouragement and loneliness. Love them and keep them belonging completely to Jesus. Like Jesus, they, too, are your sons, so keep their hearts pure and virginal
Keep their minds filled with Jesus, and put Jesus always on their lips,so that he is the one they offer to sinner and to all they meet.
Mary, Mother of Jesus, be their Mother, loving them and bringing them joy. Take special care of sick and dying priests, and the ones most tempted. Remember how they spent their youth and old age, their entire lives serving and giving all to Jesus.
Mary, bless them and keep a special place for them in your heart. Give them a piece of your heart, so beautiful and pure and immaculate, so full of love and humility, so that they, too, can grow in the likeness of Christ.
Dear Mary, make them humble like you, and holy like Jesus.