Benedict XVI tells youth not to fear a religious vocation

On the last day of 2009, Pope Benedict XVI led first vespers at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica. In addition to singing the Te Deum hymn, he exhorted young people to have the courage to pursue their vocation.

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YEAR FOR PRIESTS - Looking for Stories on How Priest Helped You Grow in Your Faith, etc.

Source

Pope Benedict XVI has begun a “Year for Priests,” starting in June 2009 and ending in August 2010. In the first half of 2010, St. Anthony Messenger magazine will publish an article based on stories submitted to this blog.

Your story could address a question such as: Do you have a story about how a priest has helped you grow in your faith? Challenged you in some way? Strengthened your faith?

Please keep your submission to 250 words.

The Year for Priests

H/T Melissa C.

Prayer request

Midnight Mass at the Cathedral, Diocese of Honolulu

center: Bishop Larry Silva; left: Vicar Clergy Fr. Hoang; behind the bishop: Vicar General Fr. Marc Alexander; right: pastor and administrator of the Cathedral, Fr. John Berger

Please pray for Fr. John Berger, pastor of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. He will be leaving for the mainland to attend a conference and retreat (required by canon law), and will be with his parents for a couple of days. He is looking forward to his short visit with old friends and family.

Mahalo! Your prayers for our priests go a long way!

Merry Christmas!

altar at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace

A very Merry Christmas to all our Beloved Priests,

Seminarians and Spiritual Mothers!

From Esther and Easter

Project for More Vocations to the Priesthood in One's Diocese

After reading an article that our beloved and now Venerable John Paul II would impose penance on himself in the form of flagellation, before ordaining priests, Father Z. proposed the following project:

PROJECT:

It strikes me that if all the people of God of a diocese would do some kind of penance – such as fasting or almsgiving – accompanied by their own good confession before the local bishop would ordain new priests for their diocese, for their parishes… well… that would be a good start. No?

Is this a project worth proposing?

Could a bishop, also doing penance himself before ordinations, invite the entire diocese to fast and give alms, make a good confession and Communion, before ordinations?

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National Vocation Awareness Week to Be Celebrated January 10-16

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“This week provides the opportunity for parishes across the country to promote vocations through prayer and education,” said Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “It is our responsibility to encourage young people to be generous in their response as they discern the possibility of a call to service in the Church. We must also ask parents, families and our parish communities to assist with this work, vocations are everyone’s business. As we pray for an increased number of seminarians and candidates for religious life, we recognize the importance of safeguarding the gift of vocations.”...

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Magnificat's Year of the Priests and Via Crucis Priests

My sister sent us a copy of Magnificat's Year for Priests Companion and it did contain Father Mark Kirby's Via Crucis.

This special issue is a must have during this jubilee year. It contains a novena for the priests, reflections, prayers, meditations, stories, etc.

New Booklet for Spiritual Moms

Read about it here

A Saint for the Spiritual Mothers of Priests

Giovanni di Paolo
Christ Gives Communion to St. Catherine of Siena
Third quarter of 15th century
Metropolitan Museum of Art Source

Saint Catherine Siena