Prayers and Spiritual Offerings for Spiritual Mothers

Less Noise, More Surrender: The Wisdom of the ‘Marian Option’

Kathryn Jean Lopez - on Angelus News website - October 25, 2018

What Happens When Women Pray?

Kathryn Jean Lopez - May 30, 2017 on CRUX

For a Close Encounter with God’s Extravagant Mercy

Kathryn Jean Lopez - March 1, 2016 on Patheos

Petition for a New Springtime of Spiritual Motherhood

Eternal Father, we ardently implore You to sound the trumpet, proclaiming a new springtime of spiritual motherhood of priests. We ask You to graciously make fruitful this initiative of the Church that calls for spreading spiritual maternity of priests, which will help bring forth an increase of vocations and the greater sanctification of all priests. Through the heart of Mary, send forth to all women an invitation to respond to the cry of Christ’s Bride with prayers and sacrifices for priests, which will prepare them as agents of the New Evangelization. Through a new springtime of spiritual maternity of priests, let the Church grow in holiness, endure persecution, and mature in virtue, divine charity, and mercy. Let the Holy Spirit carry the cry of Christ’s Bride to women in all nations, so that together we may cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Grant that priests who are the head of the Body may be supported by the prayers and sacrifices of many spiritual mothers as they prepare the way of the Lord. 

Self-Offering of Suffering for Priests

My Savior Jesus, I do not comprehend the mystery of suffering, but I believe that it has a redemptive value when it is offered in union with Your Passion. In my suffering I find solace in the crucifix, which demonstrates the selfless nature of true sacrificial love. When the weight of a cross burdens me, I desire to recall Your suffering and unite mine to Yours. I beseech You to accept the offering of all of my past, present, and future sufferings for the sanctification of priests, who are Your ministers of love. My suffering is small when compared with Your complete sacrifice of crucified love, but still I offer it to You. Please grant that through the daily offering of my suffering I can become a vessel of divine mercy for Your ministerial priesthood. These fishers of men, physicians of souls, preachers of truth, and servants of all are ministers of Your divine love and extend Your Sacred Heart throughout the Church. Please accept the offering of my suffering on their behalf so they may become increasingly holy and zealous, wise and humble, generous and pure.

Lord Jesus, draw all souls to You through Your priestly ministry, and set the world ablaze through holy priests who will do Your bidding. Lord Jesus, take my suffering into Your holy wounds, and through my offering, grant priests what they need for the greater work of saving souls.

My Savior and Eternal High Priest, may my humble offering console Your Sacred Heart. 

Seven Holy Hours for Priestly Virtues

The offering of a Holy Hour for priestly virtues will draw graces upon priests and console the united hearts of Jesus and Mary. This offering can be made on seven consecutive days, seven weeks, or seven first Fridays or Saturdays.

1. For priests to be blessed by an increase of expectant faith, constant hope. and fullness of love.

2. For priests to be blessed and grounded in the humility of the One Eternal High Priest, who lowered Himself to become the servant of all.

3. For priests to be blessed with the graces to faithfully live out their promise of celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, which makes them fully available to serve their Bride, the Church, with single-hearted devotion.

4. For priests to be blessed with ever-increasing sanctity to shine the light of Trinitarian holiness upon the world.

5. For priests to be blessed with zeal for God and His Church; that they may have the dynamism of the Holy Spirit to animate their priesthood, especially their preaching.

6. For priests to be living examples of evangelical poverty and so be signposts for all members of the Church, who are called to be in the world but not of the world.

7. For priests to be endowed with the virtues of prudence, justice, and fortitude, that they might be other Christs who live His spiritual martyrdom of love, especially through the daily offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Seven Holy Communions for Priests

1. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to send anew the Holy Spirit upon all priests for their sanctification. May they be the instruments that fulfill Your prayer, “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49)

2. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to liberate priests who are suffering from any form of spiritual warfare. Send forth Your mighty word to bind and cast out any darkness that blocks their priestly
fruitfulness.

3. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to send forth an infusion of divine love upon the priest who needs it most. All human love is imperfect, but Your love is the healing balm for aching hearts. Look with favor upon the most desolate priest in the world, and reveal Your personal love to him.

4. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to open the floodgates of divine mercy upon the priest who is in most need of the medicine of mercy. Graciously grant the priest the grace to accept it and become a vessel of divine mercy for others. Transform him that he might draw many souls to You through his forgiven and forgiving heart.

5. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to infuse new priests with confident assurance of their vocational calling. Graciously help them to navigate their mission and accept their assignments with docility and generosity. Grant them the grace of loving obedience to their pastors and bishops. Bind them to their fellow priests with cords of humility.

6. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to bless all clergy with many spiritual children to worship You in spirit and truth. You chose and sent them to bear much fruit as spiritual fathers. Help them tend to their flocks without counting the cost and to be good, generous fathers spreading paternal charity throughout the Church.

7. Jesus, by the grace of my Holy Communion, I beg You to shower your saving grace upon ________ (insert the name of your pastor, parochial vicar, bishop, the Holy Father, or another priest who is on your heart). Please keep him safe in the refuge of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who is his mother of grace. Grant him a deep and intimate prayer life to fuel all the demands of his priesthood. Please bless him with joy, peace, and generosity.

The prayers and spiritual offerings above originally appeared in Praying for Priests: A Mission for the New Evangelization by Kathleen Beckman, L.H.S. (Sophia Institue Press, 2014).