Prayer For Newly Ordained Priest

God, please give to your Church today
many more priests after your own heart.

May they be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd.
May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance;
be examples of humility and poverty;
shining models of holiness;
tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God;
zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments.

May their loving devotion to your Son Jesus in the Eucharist
and to Mary his Mother be the twin fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry.


O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and
shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and
everlasting crown.


Lord Jesus, you came to serve, not to be served,
form within us your generous spirit;
Fill us with your love,
that we may love the Father as your love him.
Fill us with your compassion,
that we may see our brothers and sisters
as you see them.
Fill us with your courage,
that we may give our lives in service to the Church
as you gave your life for her.
Fill us with that Spirit which will make us
preachers of your Word,
ministers of your Sacrifice,
servants of your Bride,
friends of the poor,
and the voice of the forgotten.
Transform us through your Holy Spirit
so that we may transform the world into
Your Kingdom of justice and faith.

Amen.


O loving Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordinations, and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much. Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy.


O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear our humble prayers on behalf of your priests, Father ___. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope, and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly lives.

In their loneliness, comfort them; in their sorrows, strengthen them; in their frustrations, point out to them that it is through suffering that the soul is purified. Show them that they are needed by the Church, they are needed by souls, they are needed for the work of redemption.


O Loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordination and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much. Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. Amen.


O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear my humble prayers on behalf of Thy priests. Give them deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly life. In their loneliness, comfort them. In their sorrows, strengthen them. In their frustrations, point out to them that they are needed by the Church; they are needed by souls; they are needed for the work of redemption.


Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.

Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.

Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.

Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.

Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest.

Amen.