Letters From a Young Catholic

My reflections as a Catholic young adult passionate about the Faith, seeking to grow in knowledge and understanding of God and discerning the will of the Lord in my life.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Prayer for Priests

I've been getting somewhat frustrated recently with comments being made on various Catholic blogs highlighting the faults and failings of particular priests and bishops. I'm not saying that they don't have faults and failings or that we should remain silent when they mislead their flocks by failing to preach and reflect the teachings of the Church. I'm not saying that priests and bishops who have violated the dignity of the human person through heinous crimes should not have to face justice. All I'm saying is that we'd probably do a lot greater good if we spent all the time we do complaining and highlighting their faults, failings, and apparent sins, praying for them instead. I was thinking about this when I came across the following prayer the other day, posted by the parish priest of St. Mary Magdalen in Brighton, England:

Holy Cure of Ars, I pray for Father N my parish priest [or. . . for Bishop N. . . or Cardinal N. . .]. Intercede with God and his Holy Mother for him. He has received so many graces and yet responded to so few of them, he has been entrusted with such great a responsibilities for souls yet serves them so badly. I pray one thing, and ask you to join me in that prayer; that on the last day he might be saved from damnation, and through the pains of purgatory he might at last be giving the least place in Heaven and sit at the feet of those members of his flock who enjoy the vision of God's Glory. Amen.