World Day of Prayer for Priests

Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and as such, it is also recognized as the World Day of Prayer for Priests. Remember to pray for priestly and religious vocations today in a most earnest manner, and pray for the sanctification of our clergy. Worthy of special notice, today marks the beginning of the Year for Priests (June 19, 2009 - June 19, 2010), which has been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI himself, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney. A special indulgence for priests and one for the faithful is also available this year:

For the faithful, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the opening and closing days of the Year for Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.

To obtain the indulgence the faithful must attend Mass in an oratory or Church and offer prayers to "Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mould them to his heart."
The conditions for the faithful for earning a plenary indulgence are to have gone to confession and prayed for the intentions of the Pope.

Source: Zenit

In honor of today being the World Day of Prayer for Priests, please see the following past posts related to today.

Related Posts:

• World Day of Prayer for Priests (2007)
• 44th World Day of Prayer for Vocations (2007)

Prayer for Priestly Vocations:

O Lord, God of power and majesty, you said that the harvest is great but the laborers are few. Send forth, we beseech thee, laborers into your vineyard to forgive sins, celebrate the Eucharist, baptize, and above all make us a people worthy of thee. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

Image Source 1: Unknown
Image Source 2: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Priests from 1932

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Pope Bendict XVI meets with the President of Malta, George Abela

Image Sources: REUTERS/Tony Gentile (VATICAN RELIGION POLITICS)

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Letter to Mrs. Clinton from Fr. Chris: Part II

Fr. Chris Terhes has made a new press release: Greek-Catholics Ask U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and European Union to Help End Religious Cleansing in Romania.

Related Posts:

• Letter to Mrs. Clinton from Fr. Chris (May 2009)
  

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Corpus Christi Procession: Birmingham Oratory, England

Mrs. Jackie Parkes MJ of the blog Catholic Mom of 10 was kind enough to send A Catholic Life the following images of today's Corpus Christi Procession through streets of Birmingham England. In these images is Fr. Paul Chavasse, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory.

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Corpus Christi Procession: Mary Immaculate Queen, Rathdrum Idaho

I am very thankful to have been sent these beautiful images of a procession that took place earlier today.

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The Sanctification of Sunday

(Image by Mateusz Szymkiewicz)

How Should Sunday be Sanctified?

The Third Commandment explicitly forbids servile work on the Holy Day. Yet, the Church further commands that all Sundays – and all other Holy Days of Obligation – are mandatory days of Mass attendance and required days to refrain from servile works. Missing Mass on one of these days without a grave reason – illness, inability to reasonably obtain transportation, et cetera – is therefore a mortal sin. And, if one were not able to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for a good reason, one should still read the Missal for that day and pray the prayers from the Liturgy (e.g. Collect, Gradual, Communion).

Yet Sunday is also a day in which to participate in communal Rosary, Vespers, and Benediction services. Sunday is the day on which the Faithful should be most willing to read Catholic newspapers, books, and magazines. See the Top 10 Sunday Activities for Catholics.

In times past there was a distinction made of days of double versus single precept. Days of double precept required both hearing Mass and refraining from servile works, whereas days of single precept were working holy days permitting work but still requiring Mass attendance.

What are the Holy Days of Obligation?

§1. Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. The following days must also be observed: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.

§2. With the prior approval of the Apostolic See, however, the conference of bishops can suppress some of the holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday.

1983 Code of Canon Law: Canon 1246

In 1642, Pope Urban VIII reduced the number of holy days of obligation (not including Sundays) to approximately 36 days. Nearly all nations were granted dispensations in the ensuing years from certain days and there was little uniformity. 

In 1911, Pope St. Pius X reduced the number to 8 and in 1917, the Code of Canon Law (1917) increased the number to the ten days still universally observed.

However, differences continued to prevail. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops moved the Epiphany and the Feast of the Body and Blood of our Lord to Sundays, reducing the number to six days: Ascension, Assumption, All Saints, Immaculate Conception, and Christmas. Yet, many dioceses still move Ascension Thursday to the following Sunday, which does not coincidence with Traditionalist Catholics who observe Ascensiontide, leading up to Pentecost Sunday. Furthermore, in 1998 the U.S. bishops decided that when the solemnities of Mary the Mother of God (January 1), Assumption (August 15), or All Saints (November 1) fell on a Saturday or Monday, the obligation to attend Mass does not remain. The Diocese of Honolulu in 1992 even reduced their observed Holy Days to merely two days: Christmas and the Immaculate Conception.

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Feastday of St. Anthony of Padua

Today is the Feastday of St. Anthony of Padua. Please see my 2006 Post on St. Anthony for more information applicable to today, including prayers, readings, a brief biography of St. Anthony, and an explanation of the meaning behind the above image.

Prayer:

May the votive solemnity of blessed Anthony, Thy Confessor and Doctor, O God, give joy to Thy Church: that she may ever be defended by spiritual aid and become worthy of everlasting joys. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Readings:

"Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since he himself cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit but only leaves. It is useless for a man to flaunt his knowledge of the law if he undermines its teaching by his actions."

"The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ."

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Pope Benedict XVI Celebrates Corpus Christi

Image Sources: REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

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Corpus Christi Procession Videos

Video from San Secondo d'Asti Catholic Church in Guasti, CA (2008).

Video from Saint Francis de Sales Oratory, in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA (2007).

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Novena of Confidence to the Sacred Heart

In prepartion for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart on June 15, the following Novena is prayed from June 6 - 14. Even if though it is after June 6, it is never too late to pray!

Novena:

O Lord, Jesus Christ, To Thy Most Sacred Heart I confide this intention...(mention your request) Only look upon me, then do what Thy Heart inspires. . . Let Thy Sacred Heart decide. . . I count on It. . . I trust in It. . . I throw myself on Its mercy. . . Lord Jesus! Thou wilt not fail me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Thy love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy Kingdom Come.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, place it in Thy Sacred Heart. When the Eternal Father sees it covered with Thy Precious Blood, He will not refuse it. It will be no longer my prayer but Thine, O Jesus. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee. Let me never be confounded. Amen.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be)

Related Posts:

• Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart (Prayer)
• Home Enthronement to the Sacred Heart
• Devotion to the Sacred Heart (2006 Post includes links to encyclicals and prayers for this month. Worthy of bookmarking during this month.)
• Daily Offering to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Dying (Prayer)
• Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

Artist Source: Adolfo Simeone

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