Pray for our Priests with Mary

Take a few minutes out of your busy day to pray with Mary and reflect on the mysteries of the Rosary. Here are some meditations you may find inspirational.

For the Sanctification of Priests (download)

Meditations by Fr. Francis Martin (RIP 2017)

Reflections on Our Lady

  • Joyful Mysteries by Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    Joyful Mysteries

    For the Sanctification of Priests - Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    The Annunciation
    The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary, a virgin, that she will become the Mother of God, the Word made Flesh. For all centuries to come, Jesus will become flesh in the Holy Eucharist to nourish us in a most intimate union with Him.

    We pray for all priests who daily bring us the Body and Blood of Christ through the Consecration of the Eucharist at Mass and through Holy Communion. We pray for all future priests now being formed in the wombs of their mothers, that they may be safe from physical and spiritual harm, and come to Ordination as God intends. We pray for all future generations of priests. We pray also that priests may treasure the gift of celibacy.

    The Visitation
    Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth, who recognizes Mary as the living tabernacle for their Divine Lord.

    We pray especially for priests who bring Holy Communion to the sick, the shut-ins, and Viaticum to the dying. We pray for all the priests who minister to the sick and others in so many ways, who counsel, comfort and console them.

    The Nativity of Jesus
    Jesus is born in Bethlehem. The angels announce His birth; kings and shepherds come to adore Him.

    We pray that all seminarians may grow in the knowledge and love of God and become holy priests. We pray especially for those who will be ordained soon, that they may remain faithful all their lives to the sublime privilege of being “other Christs” among us. We pray that everyone will come to value the Eucharistic Feast and the Priesthood as among God’s greatest gifts to us. We pray that every priest will consider himself a member of the Holy Family, a true son of Mary and Joseph, and a brother-priest of Jesus, the great High Priest.

    The Presentation in the Temple
    Mary and Joseph, in obedience to the Law, bring Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to God. Simeon expresses his gratitude to God for revealing the
    Messiah to him before he dies.

    We thank God for all priests who, like Simeon, have given us decades of faithful service. We pray that they may be rewarded for their generosity and self-sacrifice. We pray also for all priests whose hearts are pierced by loneliness, depression and rejection.

    Finding Jesus in the Temple
    Jesus is found among the teachers in the temple. He returns home and is obedient to Mary and Joseph.

    We pray that priests will always be found going about their Father’s business and will be obedient to the teaching magisterium of the Church, to our Holy Father and to the bishops in communion with him. We pray for all young priests that the love and dedication they experience in the first years of their priesthood may increase with time. We pray for all priests who teach the Faith to children and adults.

     Conclude with the Prayer for our Priests (scroll down).

  • Luminous Mysteries by Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    Luminous Mysteries

    For the Sanctification of Priests - Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    The Baptism of the Lord
    John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan; the Holy Spirit descends on Him and the Voice of the Father is heard.

    We pray that priests may be shining lamps pointing to Jesus, illuminating the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. We pray that all priests may practice humble self-forgetfulness and seek only that our Lord be known and honored. We pray that priests may pour the life-giving waters of baptism over countless souls and help all those entrusted to their care to live holy lives and attain eternal salvation.

    The Wedding of Cana
    Jesus performs His first miracle at the request of His Mother, thereby manifesting His Divinity.

    We pray that priests will confidently turn to Mary in all their needs, particularly when they feel they have nothing left to share, and following her example, do whatever Jesus tells them to do. We pray that all priests may grow in their faith that just as Jesus turned water into wine, He changes wine into His Precious Blood.

    The Proclamation of the Kingdom
    Jesus places before us His plan of salvation for all mankind. He explains His Law of Love, particularly the necessity of repentance and forgiveness as the means of living out the Gospel.

    We pray that priests will fearlessly and lovingly proclaim the truths of our faith, in season and out of season, particularly by the example of their own daily conversion. May all priests become Apostles of the Confessional by extending God’s Divine Mercy and healing to all those who humbly seek pardon of their sins.

    The Transfiguration
    Jesus brought Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where He was transfigured before their eyes. He appeared with Moses and Elijah, who spoke to Him of His death. The Voice of the Father was heard, “This is My Son, My Beloved. Listen to Him.”

    We pray for perseverance and spiritual joy for all priests who find themselves undergoing their own passion in Christ’s name. May they find strength in the radiance of Christ’s life-giving light. We pray that all priests may look up and see only Jesus in all whom they serve. May their faith in the divinity of Jesus be so strong that they may never lose hope and in turn may strengthen their brothers and sisters in their times of distress.

    The Institution of the Eucharist
    Jesus gives us Himself, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in order that we may have life. His institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood perpetuates His eternal Sacrifice for all mankind.

    We pray that all priests will appreciate their oneness with Jesus, Priest and Victim, and that every Holy Communion will transform them more and more into His likeness. We pray that all priests will offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with deep love, faith, and reverence, and be generous in the time they spend in adoring, thanking and making reparation to our Eucharistic Lord.

    Conclude with the Prayer for our Priests (scroll down).

  • Sorrowful Mysteries by Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    Sorrowful Mysteries

    For the Sanctification of Priests - Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    The Agony in the Garden
    The Apostles fall asleep. Jesus sweats blood at the thought of His coming passion and death. Angels come to comfort Him.

    We pray that all priests who are suffering, that on the way to Calvary they may be comforted by God’s presence. We pray that those who have betrayed or denied the faith through weakness may repent and return to the warmth of God’s love. We pray that all priests may live only to do our Father’s will as Jesus always did.

    Jesus Is Scourged
    Jesus is cruelly scourged and beaten by the soldiers.

    We pray for priests who are persecuted, physically or mentally abused. We pray for those who are imprisoned or prevented from offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or from offering or receiving Holy Communion. We pray for priests living under any for of oppression by leaders or governments.

    Jesus Is Crowned with Thorns
    Jesus is mocked as king and His precious Head is cruelly pierced by thorns.

    We pray for priests who suffer for defending authentic Catholic doctrine. We pray that all Bishops will uphold the true teachings of the Catholic Church and resist temptations to compromise doctrine in the face of cultural and social pressure.

    Jesus Carries His Cross
    Bruised, bleeding, and exhausted, Jesus is forced to drag Himself and His cross up the hill to Calvary.

    We pray for all priests with heavy crosses; those who are weak or lonely, or who have fallen from God’s grace in some way. We pray for our Holy Father, who perhaps has the heaviest of crosses: the widespread persecution and abandonment of the Church from within or driven by outside forces.

    Jesus Dies on the Cross
    Jesus sheds His last drops of Precious Blood to redeem us from sin and eternal death.

    We pray for all priests who are in their last agony and for those who will die today. We pray for those who thirst for the salvation of souls. We pray that the crucifixion of their wills may accomplish God’s designs for the salvation of the whole world. We pray that all priests may take Mary into their hearts, as Saint John the Apostle, one of the first priests, took Mary into his home.

    Conclude with the Prayer for our Priests (scroll down).

  • Glorious Mysteries by Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    Glorious Mysteries

    For the Sanctification of Priests - Handmaids of the Precious Blood

    The Resurrection
    Jesus rises from the dead and appears to the Apostles.

    At times, priests may suffer from depression and despair that plague them when they see so little fruit from their labors. We pray that priests will remember that the Crucifixion is followed by the Resurrection and darkness is always followed by the Light. We pray that all priests may share the joy of the Risen Christ.

    The Ascension
    Jesus instructs His Apostles and returns to His Father in Heaven.

    We pray that priests may carry out Jesus’ instructions to evangelize the whole world, instructing and baptizing countless people. We pray for missionaries who live lives of utter poverty and deprivation to bring the Gospel to all the people, especially the unchurched.

    The Descent of the Holy Spirit
    The Holy Spirit comes down upon the Apostles who are gathered with Mary and other holy women and men.

    We pray that priests may be open to the grace of the Holy Spirit to strengthen them for the task of bringing souls to God and God to souls. We pray that they may be on fire to convert the most hardened sinners, and to bring God’s love to the whole world.

    The Assumption
    Mary is taken, body and soul, to Heaven. While she was on earth, she loved and prayed for the Apostles, the first priests.

    We pray that priests will be devoted to Mary, Mother of priests, and find in her the love and comfort of a mother. We pray that they trust in her protection and in her most powerful intercession. We pray that they find in her the surest refuge against Satan and his cohorts who seek the destruction of priests and the priesthood.

    The Coronation
    Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and earth; she is rewarded for her faithfulness to God.

    We pray that Mary, Queen of the Clergy, will be their model of faith and joy. We pray that they will accept her as their constant guide until they reach Heaven where a crown, jeweled with the many souls entrusted to them on the day of Ordination, will be their reward for faithful and loving service.

    Conclude with the Prayer for our Priests (scroll down).

 

Jesus breathes on the apostles giving them their commission.

Prayer for our Priests

Close with this prayer after the normal concluding prayers of the Rosary

O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priests. Give them a 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 it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and 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.

 

Rosary wreath representing the prayers of the rosary within a flower arrangement

Reflecting on Mother Mary

 

  • These meditations focus on Mary’s life of devotion to God and the people of Israel. Her life is a gift to us all. In the beauty of her creation, free of all sin, she embodies all we aspire to be as faithful followers of Christ. Her complete and total acceptance of God’s will inspires Marian devotees daily. Through grace, God gives her to us as the path through which we can most perfectly unite with Jesus.

    The wreath to the right was inspired by the Blessed Mother during preparation for consecration to Our Lady in August, 2004. The wreath represents a Rosary. Each of the elements of the Rosary is represented: the cross, opening prayers, the centerpiece, and the five decades.

    • The red of the cross signifies the sacrifice of Jesus for our redemption

    • The white/red flower represents the centerpiece that sits between the opening prayers and the decades.

    • The blue flowers represent the Our Father prayers.

    • The groups of white roses represent the Hail Mary prayers. There is one rose for each Hail Mary; a group of three near the cross and five groups of 10 for each decade.

    • In each of the decades is a single red flower. This set of five red markings, one in each decade, represents the five wounds of Jesus.

    • The ribbon in the center of the wreath connects the five wounds of Jesus and the cross of Jesus to form the Star of David, representing Mary’s plea for Israel and affirming her role as mother of God’s chosen people.

    • The ribbons flowing beneath the cross at the base of the wreath signify the rivers of life-giving water flowing from our Savior’s side.

    Designed by: Bernadette Harmon
    Assembled by: Beate Wilson

    Reflections by: Bernadette Harmon, (c) 2004, August
    Reviewed by: Fr. Francis Martin, STL, SSD (RIP 2017), and Dr. Mary Healy, STD, STL (Impramatur pending)
    "Truly Inspired" - Dr. Mary Healy

  • The First Marian Mystery - Mary pleads for the Jewish Nation

    Mary, conceived without sin to just parents hand-picked and formed by God, dedicates her young years to the contemplation of the mystery of God’s promise of redemption. She intercedes for her people, crying out to God for the salvation of Israel. God prepares her to be the vessel through which the salvation of Israel is to come among us.

    Mary, from the moment you were conceived, sin did not touch your body. You lived quietly watching God’s people struggle against sin and death. The hope of the coming of the Messiah burned in your heart as you contemplated the mystery of God’s promise to his people. The silent cries of a people who had lost their way echoed in your prayers. In your perfect devotion to God, his plan was soon to be fulfilled. Blessed are you who were given the grace to desire for all the people the fulfillment of the words of the prophets. goes here

  • The Second Marian Mystery - Mary abandons herself to the Will of the Father

    Mary accepts the invitation to be the Mother of Jesus with humility. Her “yes” is for love of God and of all Israel. She is greatly honored to raise this wonder of creation who will be the sacrificial lamb foretold in the scriptures. At the time of God’s choosing, she suffers the passion quietly beside her Son and, seeing the fulfillment of His glory, rejoices in his resurrection.

    Mary, your profound humility and unshakable faith in God’s plan brought into being the One who would be the salvation of all the world. In a moment of unfathomable grace, you were espoused to the Holy Spirit and conceived a child. For our salvation, you bore the child who would be the King of Heaven, the Son of God. Then, as foretold, you bore his same wounds as you watched his passion unfold. Yet, you remained ever faithful, trusting in the God of Israel. At the foot of the cross, you draw us into his passion that we may rejoice with you in his glory. Blessed are you who show us how to follow Jesus, through suffering, into his eternal kingdom.

  • The Third Marian Mystery - Mary Encourages the Young Church

    Mary supports the infant church with her constant prayer and encourages the apostles as they reach out to the world. Through her complete submission to the will of God, she provides stability and fortitude to all who join in the work of God. Her constant humility and perseverance is an example to all who would know her. Each time she receives Jesus in the Eucharist, she relives her “yes” for the church and is strengthened in the grace of the Holy Spirit.

    Mary, your hope in Jesus’ return gave you a vigilant heart and joyful spirit. You supported the work of the apostles in your service and care of them and in your constant faithfulness and prayer. Your plea for Israel continued, that all would be drawn to faith in Jesus. As you continued to grow in holiness, the church grew in number. Blessed are you who teach us to pray unceasingly for an ever increasing body of the faithful throughout the world, for an increase in the virtue of faith which you so beautifully embody.

  • The Fourth Marian Mystery - Queen of Heaven and Earth

    Mary suffered greatly as Jesus’ Mother and carries the wounds of Christ to her death. As Jesus calls her unto Himself into heaven there is great jubilation as the saints and angels welcome her and acknowledge her as their Queen. Mary continues to devote herself to the salvation of the people on earth through her intercession. In sharing her secret with many in this world and giving them the grace of knowing her, she prepares their hearts as the Word of God forms within them.

    Mary, most holy mother of God, whom Jesus brought into heaven as Queen of his heavenly kingdom, we honor you. Your total selflessness in allowing God to fulfill his plan through your body places you in the kingdom of heaven as the most esteemed of all the angels and saints. In heaven, you continue your work, interceding for us and drawing us to your Son. Blessed are you, Queen of heaven and earth, whose hand and gaze is upon us, leading us to Christ. 

  • The Fifth Marian Mystery - Birth of a New Heaven

    Mary is the instrument through which Satan is crushed. Through the power of God, she destroys evil and gives birth to a new Israel. All who would be her subjects rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s promise and the birth of a new heaven. They rally in praise and honor of Mary, whose “yes” to the Will of God enabled the salvation of all men and the end of Sin.

    Mary, woman created by God to be the mother of his people, we look to the end of time when you will crush evil under your heel. We implore you who sit at the foot of the throne of God yet with the world at your feet; we pray for the grace to follow your example that we may be reborn through you and become true heirs of the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who gather us unto yourself that we may become the bride of your Son, Jesus, to live as one in His eternal kingdom.