Someone tweeted that October was pastor appreciation month. This was news to me and I'm sorry to say that it almost at the end of October that I found out about it. However, as spiritual moms or as parishioners, we can show our appreciation to our pastor/spiritual son at any given day of the year like on his birthday or anniversary of his ordination.
ehow has some useful suggestions.
If it's a gift you're looking for Autom is offering 10% off their already reasonable prices.
Let's hope next year we will be able to remind you of Pastor Appreciation Month way in advance.
A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
John Cardinal O'Connor
Lord Jesus, we your people pray to You for our priests. You have given them to us for OUR needs. We pray for them in THEIR needs.
We know that You have made them priests in the likeness of your own priesthood. You have consecrated them, set them aside, anointed them, filled them with the Holy Spirit, appointed them to teach, to preach, to minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us with Your Body and Blood.
Yet we know, too, that they are one with us and share our human weaknesses. We know too that they are tempted to sin and discouragement as are we, needing to be ministered to, as do we, to be consoled and forgiven, as do we. Indeed, we thank You for choosing them from among us, so that they understand us as we understand them, suffer with us and rejoice with us, worry with us and trust with us, share our beings, our lives, our faith.
We ask that You give them this day the gift You gave Your chosen ones on the way to Emmaus: Your presence in their hearts, Your holiness in their souls, Your joy in their spirits. And let them see You face to face in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread.
We pray to You, O Lord, through Mary the mother of all priests, for Your priests and for ours. Amen.
March, 1995
Electronic Copyright © 1999 EWTN
All Rights Reserved
