Year for Priests 2009 – 2010 (Updated)

To all my Christian readers.

"Who is going to save your Church? Not your bishops, not your priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church.

Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishop's act like bishops

and your religious act like religious." Abp. Fulton J. Sheen

· Are we ready for the Year for Priests from 2009 - 2010? It started this morning to coincide with the The Sacred Heart of Jesus, solemnity.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 19:31-37.

Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may (come to) believe. For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: "Not a bone of it will be broken." And again another passage says: "They will look upon him whom they have pierced."

· This year can be a great opportunity to benefit spiritually from prayer for sanctification of priests. We can help strengthen the Church in a powerful way.

· Do you have a plan about how you are going to use this year?

· And for a few more days, it is still the year of St. Paul.

· Can our Priests count on you?

Yes, we can. Pray a Novena for them following “The Curé d'Ars Prayer Group - For the bishop and priests.

Let our Priests know we are praying for them and let them know we appreciate all that they do! They are the integral part of the church and the parishioners, for without them, there is no church; there is no mass; there is no confession.

I’ve often thought good things about certain priests in my experience, but this year, I’m going to start telling them about it rather than keeping it to myself. Priests must hear a lot of complaints; perhaps this year, they could use some praise.

What we can do during the Year for the Priest 2009 – 2010.

Include the Priests each time you pray your Rosary.

"The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ." Catechism on the Priesthood

Thoughts of the Cure D'Ars

• A Prayer for Priests
• Prayer to the Sacred Heart for Priests

Prayers of Devotion

Morning Offering (Father Peter John Cameron)

"Between priests and the rest of men there should be nothing in common as to works and as to conduct." -- Saint Ambrose

Prayers of Devotion "The entire Church cannot give to God as much honor, nor obtain so many graces, as a single priest by celebrating a single Mass; for the greatest honor that the whole Church without priests could give to God would consist in offering to Him in sacrifice the lives of all men. " -- St. Alphonsus Liguori (The Dignity and Duties of the Priest)

Holy Hour Prayer for the Priests.

As for me, my plan is by going to the Carmelite Chapel at Kota Kinabalu to pray the Holy Hour on every Thursday evening (5.30pm) with the Carmelite Sisters.

I happened to be at the Carmelite Chapel (by chance only) last two Thursdays ago (11^th June 2009) and I joined the Eucharistic adorers during the Holy Hour Adoration. I was impressed by the celebrant Rev. Fr. Michael Modoit in his homily when he explained briefly why Thursday was and is relevant to spend our Holy Hour Adoration. I could not agree with him more as Jesus was captured on the evening of Thursday (The Last Supper) following his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus was tortured, condemned to death by Pilate and was crucified the following day Friday.

How did Jesus spend the night on Thursday till dawn the following Friday morning? What happened to Jesus before He was led out to Pilate on Friday morning? This particular biblical passage was never recorded in the Bible because none of the disciples witnessed how Jesus was treated while in custody the previous night before He was led out to Pilate.

“This is the time to contemplate on Jesus’ sufferings on Thursday Night,” Rev. Fr.Michael Modoit urged the congregation.

We shall discuss this unrecorded event in my next post.

Meanwhile, Benedict XVI is urging priests to not become resigned to empty confessionals, but to help people rediscover the beauty of the sacrament by deepening their understanding of the Eucharist. The Pope stated this in a letter to the priests of the world, on the occasion of the Year for Priests, which begins Friday in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, the Curé d'Ars.

He continued: "Priests ought never to be resigned to empty confessionals or the apparent indifference of the faithful to this sacrament.”

The Pope explained that St. John Mary spent long hours in church before the tabernacle, inspiring the faithful "to imitate him by coming to visit Jesus with the knowledge that their parish priest would be there, ready to listen and offer forgiveness." Over time, he said, penitents started coming from all over the country, and the priest would be in the confessional for up to 16 hours a day.

Thus, the Pontiff said, his parish became known as "a great hospital of souls." He quoted the saint who said: "It is not the sinner who returns to God to beg his forgiveness, but God himself who runs after the sinner and makes him return to him."

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