The Conclusion of the Year for Priests . . .

Here at St Ann's to mark the end of the Annus Sacerdotalis we had a simple devotion of the Holy Rosary offered for all our priests concluding with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

In Rome, naturally they did it with a little more 'style'. Here is a clip showing some of the Closing Vespers to mark the end of the Year for Priests.

See what you're missing!

Here are a few photos taken at about Midnight last night. We had a good number for Mass at 6.30 pm and it was lovely to see people coming and going throughout the evening and into the night.

It's not too late to come along and join us in prayer . . .

Our 40 Hours Devotion continues right through the night again tonight and concludes with Benediction at 9.00am on Thursday morning. Mass will be at 9.30am.

The Year for Priests - 40 Hours Devotion . . .

'The priest is not a priest for himself; he is not for himself, he is for you.' - St John Vianney.

The Year for Priests closes on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, 11th June 2010. Here at St Ann's, we have decided to celebrate the Year for Priests with 40 Hours Devotion which begins this evening immediately after Mass at 6.30 pm.

I am delighted to provide this opportunity for people to come along and pray for our priests. Adoration will continue throughout the night tonight and tomorrow night. Our devotion will close with Benediction at 9am on Thursday 6th May. Mass will follow at 9.30am.

All our welcome. Do please call in and join us in prayer for our priests if you can.

Prayer for Priests - St Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus

I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;

for your unfaithful and tepid priests;

for your priests labouring at home

or abroad in distant mission fields;

for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
for your young;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you
the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptised me;
the priests who absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I assisted
and who gave me Your Body and Blood
in Holy Communion;
the priests who taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted
in any other way.

O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
and bless them abundantly
in time and in eternity.

Amen.

'Our Priests' . . .

I was alerted to this beautiful video via the news feed Zenit. It really is quite inspirational. It was made to accompany the anthem, 'Our Priests' which was written especially for this Year for Priests. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

You'll find it on Catholic TV here. The music is also available to download on iTunes.

Year for Priests . . .

At a recent meeting of our Deanery clergy and religious, various resources were distributed for use in our parishes regarding The Year for Priests, and Vocations.

I was very impressed with the material produced by our Diocesan Vocations Director, Fr Paul Turner, and his team at the Vocations Office. They also have an excellent Diocesan Vocations Website. Do have a look when you have a spare moment.

Prayer cards are now available for parishioners containing two beautiful prayers for priests. Here is a Prayer for Priests from St Thérèse of Lisieux:

O Jesus

I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;

for your unfaithful and tepid priests;

for your priests labouring at home or

abroad in distant mission fields.

For your tempted priests;

for your lonely and desolate priests;

For your young priests;

for your dying priests;

for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.

But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:

The priest who baptised me;

the priests who absolved me from my sins;

the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me

Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;

the priests who taught and instructed me;

all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way.

O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,

and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

Amen

Please remember in your in prayers also all those in formation at St John's Seminary at this time.

Our Lady, Queen of Priests, pray for us.

Year for Priests . . .

Fr Trigilio has written a summary of his homily which he gave during 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotions in a friend's parish. You can read all about it on his blog The Black Biretta.

I won't attempt to describe the content but do encourage you to drop by and have a look for yourself.