Pray for Priests

Tonite our associate pastor came over for dinner. Father R. has been at our parish for almost a year now. He is the third associate in three years and we have no small sense of apprehension because we fear we will get too attached and lose him too. The positive aspect of this is that the very human tendency to form a "cult of personality" gets diminished when the tenure of the pastor is short. The negative aspect is that its hard to part company once the bonds of friendship and fellowship are forged. The interesting thing that I have noticed is that our community doesn't change in size when a pastor comes or goes. In my limited three year experience, I think Catholics tend to have less of a "follow the pastor mentality" though I am sure in some parishes that exists. We realize that regardless of how dynamic the preaching is or isn't or how charismatic he is or isn't, Jesus comes to us in every Mass at the hands of the priest. Christ works through the sacraments dispensed by the priest regardless of his piety, sanctity or popularity!
Before he left we prayed the Liturgy of the Hours together and he gave us a blessing.
Let us all remember our priests in prayer and to pray for more vocations. Without our priests, we couldn't receive the sacraments. Thanks Father R. for being a faithful servant of God.

Prayer for Priests from Therese of Lisieux

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. Amen.