On morale of innocent priests amidst scandal...

Fr. Z has a very good post which discusses the suffering that innocent priests suffer amidst the scandal that is taking place in Ireland.  It also discusses the role of bishops and how the selection of bishops has changed over the decades (fewer from the diplomatic ranks and more with a heavier theological background, or forthright in teaching the faith - a pretty good indicator that the Holy Father sees what is needed in bishops today).

After looking at what some other priests have to say about what is taking place in Ireland, Fr. Z points to the words of the Holy Father.  This is a must read for priests and seminarians, and a worthy read for the rest of us...

•  The depression and hopeless of many Irish priests, and proposals.

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India: Mother of 6 priests, 4 nuns passes away at 94

H/T to New Advent and to Padre Steve

From DonBoscoIndia.com

Special Correspondent, Jul. 15. KOLKATA, (C.M.Paul) - Mother of 15 children died at the age of 94 on 14 July in her home in Kerala after an illness due to old age complications which lasted two years.

The deceased, Mrs. Elizabeth Anikuzhikattil, affectionately called Aleykutty, a devout Syro-Malabar catholic woman, gifted ten of her children to the Church. Of her eight boys, five are priests and one a bishop. Among her seven girls, four are religious, two Sacred Heart Sisters (Kerala) and one each Salesian Sister and Franciscan Missionary of Mary.

Mrs Elizabeth`s eldest child Annie is a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians serving in Mysore while her eldest boy Mathew is bishop of Idukki.

Read the full story here: http://www.donboscoindia.com/english/bis/default_ms.php?newsid=5199

Requiescat in pace!

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FSSP Video on Vocations: To God who giveth joy to my youth

I learned about this vocational video through EWTN, which will air it on November 15, 2010 at 6:30pm ET. 

It is not just for men who are discerning the priesthood.  There are things in this video which will be helpful to anyone wanting to understand the Mass, the priesthood and worship of God. 

There are many people interviewed including some bishops.  Among those interviewed, is Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, Oklahoma (who could forget what was probably one of the most profound homilies of this era, given earlier in the year, by His Excellency at a Pontifical Solemn High Mass at the National Basilica).  What he says about silence is true not only of seminary life, but of the the spiritual life in general, but much moreso for a seminarian and priest.

I like the discussion of holiness and the development of virtue.  Virtue is something which was rendered to the Smithosonian in recent decades.  In fact, virtue is loathed as is seen so often in popular television shows.  "Snark", sarcastic humor, and how well we tell someone off is valued more than how well we restrain ourselves.   Yet, the practice of virtue, is the imitation of Christ.  And, people are looking for holiness in their priests.  They are looking for something radically different from the behaviors they encounter in the world - examples that lead them to think of God, and to walk in the way of perfection.

The video gets into how the fog of namby-pambyism is lifted through proper catechesis, theology, philosophy (especially Thomism). 

One seminarian pointed out something I thought was quite striking.  He talks about it being an "education in truth".  He was in the Marines, which he says taught him "how" to do something.  But it wasn't until he got to Our Lady of Guadalupe seminary that he felt real learning began.  Says he: "It's not telling me how to do something, but telling me why I am doing something..."

I can relate to that after landing at Assumption Grotto here in Detroit, where I was thrown into an environment where the differences I experienced in the Mass thrust me into a very deep inner conversion about the very nature of worship.  Like a kid in the candy shop, I could see something spiritually profound with everything that was happening before me (or not happening).

Excellent video.  Watch it whether you are discerning a vocation, or are already in a vocation, be it consecrated life, priestly life, married life, or that of a dedicated single. There are some great things to learn about Catholicism in general from this video.

Please visit this page at the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in Denton, Nebraska to learn more about the FSSP and to get a copy of the DVD.  By making a purchase you support them seminary. 

I highly recommend also getting the DVD on the Consecration of Our Lady of Gualdalupe Seminary.  Watching the consecration take place in the Extraordinary Form was very informative and spiritually uplifting.  It's not something you watch in one sitting as it is about 4.5 hours long.  The sights and sounds are enough to transport you away, but the narration puts many things into context.  Understanding comes forth about things which we take for granted.  Going back to what that seminarian said about how he was being educated, the "why" is given throughout the video on many things. 



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Pope Benedict XVI's address to seminarians is a like steak after decades of cheap hamburger

Pope Benedict XVI with seminarians at Catholic Univeristy of America

in Washington D.C. during his 2008 visit.

(source)

In a word: Wow! 

I, like many, was saddened to see the Year for Priests come to an end, but with this amazing letter to seminarians, he's not done speaking about the priesthood.  He hits one out of the park.

I have to run, but am going to come back later and highlight a few quotes. 

Read this through.  He nails it - as always.  B16 does not serve cheap hamburger when there is so much steak to offer. 

From the Vatican website

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

TO SEMINARIANS

Dear Seminarians,


When in December 1944 I was drafted for military service, the company commander asked each of us what we planned to do in the future. I answered that I wanted to become a Catholic priest. The lieutenant replied: “Then you ought to look for something else. In the new Germany priests are no longer needed”. I knew that this “new Germany” was already coming to an end, and that, after the enormous devastation which that madness had brought upon the country, priests would be needed more than ever. Today the situation is completely changed. In different ways, though, many people nowadays also think that the Catholic priesthood is not a “job” for the future, but one that belongs more to the past. You, dear friends, have decided to enter the seminary and to prepare for priestly ministry in the Catholic Church in spite of such opinions and objections. You have done a good thing. Because people will always have need of God, even in an age marked by technical mastery of the world and globalization: they will always need the God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, the God who gathers us together in the universal Church in order to learn with him and through him life’s true meaning and in order to uphold and apply the standards of true humanity. Where people no longer perceive God, life grows empty; nothing is ever enough. People then seek escape in euphoria and violence; these are the very things that increasingly threaten young people. God is alive. He has created every one of us and he knows us all. He is so great that he has time for the little things in our lives: “Every hair of your head is numbered”. God is alive, and he needs people to serve him and bring him to others. It does makes sense to become a priest: the world needs priests, pastors, today, tomorrow and always, until the end of time.


The seminary is a community journeying towards priestly ministry. I have said something very important here: one does not become a priest on one’s own. The “community of disciples” is essential, the fellowship of those who desire to serve the greater Church. In this letter I would like to point out – thinking back to my own time in the seminary – several elements which I consider important for these years of your journeying.


1. Anyone who wishes to become a priest must be first and foremost a “man of God”, to use the expression of Saint Paul (1 Tim 6:11). For us God is not some abstract hypothesis; he is not some stranger who left the scene after the “big bang”. God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. In the face of Jesus Christ we see the face of God. In his words we hear God himself speaking to us. It follows that the most important thing in our path towards priesthood and during the whole of our priestly lives is our personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. The priest is not the leader of a sort of association whose membership he tries to maintain and expand. He is God’s messenger to his people. He wants to lead them to God and in this way to foster authentic communion between all men and women. That is why it is so important, dear friends, that you learn to live in constant intimacy with God. When the Lord tells us to “pray constantly”, he is obviously not asking us to recite endless prayers, but urging us never to lose our inner closeness to God. Praying means growing in this intimacy. So it is important that our day should begin and end with prayer; that we listen to God as the Scriptures are read; that we share with him our desires and our hopes, our joys and our troubles, our failures and our thanks for all his blessings, and thus keep him ever before us as the point of reference for our lives. In this way we grow aware of our failings and learn to improve, but we also come to appreciate all the beauty and goodness which we daily take for granted and so we grow in gratitude. With gratitude comes joy for the fact that God is close to us and that we can serve him.


2. For us God is not simply Word. In the sacraments he gives himself to us in person, through physical realities. At the heart of our relationship with God and our way of life is the Eucharist. Celebrating it devoutly, and thus encountering Christ personally, should be the centre of all our days. In Saint Cyprian’s interpretation of the Gospel prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread”, he says among other things that “our” bread – the bread which we receive as Christians in the Church – is the Eucharistic Lord himself. In this petition of the Our Father, then, we pray that he may daily give us “our” bread; and that it may always nourish our lives; that the Risen Christ, who gives himself to us in the Eucharist, may truly shape the whole of our lives by the radiance of his divine love. The proper celebration of the Eucharist involves knowing, understanding and loving the Church’s liturgy in its concrete form. In the liturgy we pray with the faithful of every age – the past, the present and the future are joined in one great chorus of prayer. As I can state from personal experience, it is inspiring to learn how it all developed, what a great experience of faith is reflected in the structure of the Mass, and how it has been shaped by the prayer of many generations.


3. The sacrament of Penance is also important. It teaches me to see myself as God sees me, and it forces me to be honest with myself. It leads me to humility. The Curé of Ars once said: “You think it makes no sense to be absolved today, because you know that tomorrow you will commit the same sins over again. Yet,” he continues, “God instantly forgets tomorrow’s sins in order to give you his grace today.” Even when we have to struggle continually with the same failings, it is important to resist the coarsening of our souls and the indifference which would simply accept that this is the way we are. It is important to keep pressing forward, without scrupulosity, in the grateful awareness that God forgives us ever anew – yet also without the indifference that might lead us to abandon altogether the struggle for holiness and self-improvement. Moreover, by letting myself be forgiven, I learn to forgive others. In recognizing my own weakness, I grow more tolerant and understanding of the failings of my neighbour.


4. I urge you to retain an appreciation for popular piety, which is different in every culture yet always remains very similar, for the human heart is ultimately one and the same. Certainly, popular piety tends towards the irrational, and can at times be somewhat superficial. Yet it would be quite wrong to dismiss it. Through that piety, the faith has entered human hearts and become part of the common patrimony of sentiments and customs, shaping the life and emotions of the community. Popular piety is thus one of the Church’s great treasures. The faith has taken on flesh and blood. Certainly popular piety always needs to be purified and refocused, yet it is worthy of our love and it truly makes us into the “People of God”.


5. Above all, your time in the seminary is also a time of study. The Christian faith has an essentially rational and intellectual dimension. Were it to lack that dimension, it would not be itself. Paul speaks of a “standard of teaching” to which we were entrusted in Baptism (Rom 6:17). All of you know the words of Saint Peter which the medieval theologians saw as the justification for a rational and scientific theology: “Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an ‘accounting’ (logos) for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). Learning how to make such a defence is one of the primary responsibilities of your years in the seminary. I can only plead with you: Be committed to your studies! Take advantage of your years of study! You will not regret it. Certainly, the subjects which you are studying can often seem far removed from the practice of the Christian life and the pastoral ministry. Yet it is completely mistaken to start questioning their practical value by asking: Will this be helpful to me in the future? Will it be practically or pastorally useful? The point is not simply to learn evidently useful things, but to understand and appreciate the internal structure of the faith as a whole, so that it can become a response to people’s questions, which on the surface change from one generation to another yet ultimately remain the same. For this reason it is important to move beyond the changing questions of the moment in order to grasp the real questions, and so to understand how the answers are real answers. It is important to have a thorough knowledge of sacred Scripture as a whole, in its unity as the Old and the New Testaments: the shaping of texts, their literary characteristics, the process by which they came to form the canon of sacred books, their dynamic inner unity, a unity which may not be immediately apparent but which in fact gives the individual texts their full meaning. It is important to be familiar with the Fathers and the great Councils in which the Church appropriated, through faith-filled reflection, the essential statements of Scripture. I could easily go on. What we call dogmatic theology is the understanding of the individual contents of the faith in their unity, indeed, in their ultimate simplicity: each single element is, in the end, only an unfolding of our faith in the one God who has revealed himself to us and continues to do so. I do not need to point out the importance of knowing the essential issues of moral theology and Catholic social teaching. The importance nowadays of ecumenical theology, and of a knowledge of the different Christian communities, is obvious; as is the need for a basic introduction to the great religions, to say nothing of philosophy: the understanding of that human process of questioning and searching to which faith seeks to respond. But you should also learn to understand and – dare I say it – to love canon law, appreciating how necessary it is and valuing its practical applications: a society without law would be a society without rights. Law is the condition of love. I will not go on with this list, but I simply say once more: love the study of theology and carry it out in the clear realization that theology is anchored in the living community of the Church, which, with her authority, is not the antithesis of theological science but its presupposition. Cut off from the believing Church, theology would cease to be itself and instead it would become a medley of different disciplines lacking inner unity.


6. Your years in the seminary should also be a time of growth towards human maturity. It is important for the priest, who is called to accompany others through the journey of life up to the threshold of death, to have the right balance of heart and mind, reason and feeling, body and soul, and to be humanly integrated. To the theological virtues the Christian tradition has always joined the cardinal virtues derived from human experience and philosophy, and, more generally, from the sound ethical tradition of humanity. Paul makes this point this very clearly to the Philippians: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (4:8). This also involves the integration of sexuality into the whole personality. Sexuality is a gift of the Creator yet it is also a task which relates to a person’s growth towards human maturity. When it is not integrated within the person, sexuality becomes banal and destructive. Today we can see many examples of this in our society. Recently we have seen with great dismay that some priests disfigured their ministry by sexually abusing children and young people. Instead of guiding people to greater human maturity and setting them an example, their abusive behaviour caused great damage for which we feel profound shame and regret. As a result of all this, many people, perhaps even some of you, might ask whether it is good to become a priest; whether the choice of celibacy makes any sense as a truly human way of life. Yet even the most reprehensible abuse cannot discredit the priestly mission, which remains great and pure. Thank God, all of us know exemplary priests, men shaped by their faith, who bear witness that one can attain to an authentic, pure and mature humanity in this state and specifically in the life of celibacy. Admittedly, what has happened should make us all the more watchful and attentive, precisely in order to examine ourselves earnestly, before God, as we make our way towards priesthood, so as to understand whether this is his will for me. It is the responsibility of your confessor and your superiors to accompany you and help you along this path of discernment. It is an essential part of your journey to practise the fundamental human virtues, with your gaze fixed on the God who has revealed himself in Christ, and to let yourselves be purified by him ever anew.


7. The origins of a priestly vocation are nowadays more varied and disparate than in the past. Today the decision to become a priest often takes shape after one has already entered upon a secular profession. Often it grows within the Communities, particularly within the Movements, which favour a communal encounter with Christ and his Church, spiritual experiences and joy in the service of the faith. It also matures in very personal encounters with the nobility and the wretchedness of human existence. As a result, candidates for the priesthood often live on very different spiritual continents. It can be difficult to recognize the common elements of one’s future mandate and its spiritual path. For this very reason, the seminary is important as a community which advances above and beyond differences of spirituality. The Movements are a magnificent thing. You know how much I esteem them and love them as a gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. Yet they must be evaluated by their openness to what is truly Catholic, to the life of the whole Church of Christ, which for all her variety still remains one. The seminary is a time when you learn with one another and from one another. In community life, which can at times be difficult, you should learn generosity and tolerance, not only bearing with, but also enriching one another, so that each of you will be able to contribute his own gifts to the whole, even as all serve the same Church, the same Lord. This school of tolerance, indeed, of mutual acceptance and mutual understanding in the unity of Christ’s Body, is an important part of your years in the seminary.


Dear seminarians, with these few lines I have wanted to let you know how often I think of you, especially in these difficult times, and how close I am to you in prayer. Please pray for me, that I may exercise my ministry well, as long as the Lord may wish. I entrust your journey of preparation for priesthood to the maternal protection of Mary Most Holy, whose home was a school of goodness and of grace. May Almighty God bless you all, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.


From the Vatican, 18 October 2010, the Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist.


Yours devotedly in the Lord,
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

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Sandro Magister: Schonborn and Celibacy

Italian journalist, Sandro Magister, has an excellent piece up on clerical celibacy.  It was prompted by the many news stories still being discussed in Italy over the Austrian bishops, and their public push for a re-evaluation of celibacy.  However, as Magister notes, Pope Benedict XVI has been on a different path, one which has been aimed at strengthening celibacy.   

I will give you the beginning, then you can follow the link for the rest.  Note to my international readers: If you prefer Italian, French or Spanish, there are options in the left sidebar for you.  Magister publishes his blog in four languages.  Emphases mine in bold:

Sandro Magister
ROME, May 28, 2010 – Benedict XVI is preparing to conclude the Year for Priests, which he called in order to restore spiritual vigor to the Catholic priests at a difficult time for the entire Church.


Meanwhile, however, one famous cardinal among those closest to the pope, Vienna archbishop Christoph Schönborn continues to beat the drum of a "rethinking" of the discipline of celibacy among the Latin clergy.


Schönborn is a well-educated man, a former student of Joseph Ratzinger when he was a professor of theology. In the 1980's, he collaborated in the writing of the catechism of the Catholic Church. But as a man of command, since he has been at the head of a Church so off-kilter as the Austrian Church is, he has shown himself more attentive to the pressure of public opinion than to his leadership duties.


In mid-May, as soon as one of his fellow Austrian bishops, Paul Iby of Eisenstadt, said that "priests should be free to decide whether to marry or not" and that "the Holy See is too timid on this question," Cardinal Schönborn quickly commented: "The concerns expressed by Bishop Iby are the concerns of us all."


And this was only the latest – for now – of an unending series of similar statements. From Cardinal Schönborn and from other cardinals and bishops all over the world, not to mention representatives of the clergy and laity. "Moving past" the discipline of celibacy has long been the basso continuo of the music of the innovators.


In this music, just a couple of things are usually heard and understood.


The first is that the celibacy of the clergy is a rule imposed in recent centuries on the Latin clergy alone.


The second is that Catholic priests should be allowed to marry "as in the primitive Church."


The problem is that both of these things are at odds with history and theology.

Magister then goes on to qualify this last statement, and much more.   Continue reading Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. The Argument over Celibacy by Sandro Magister

Problems in Austria

Before leaving you with some links to qualify that which I have emboldened above, about the problems in the Austrian Church, let's look at what Pope Benedict XVI said to the Austrian bishops on their last ad limina visit in 2005. They are now up for their next ad limina.  Has their been any change?

Here are a few excerpts:

Grievous events are occurring today: the secularization process, constantly gaining momentum in Europe at this time, has not even been halted at the gates of Catholic Austria. Identification with the Church has been eroded in many of the faithful and with it, the certainty of the faith and reverential awe for God's law are lacking.


[snip]


As you well know, profession of faith is one of the Bishop's most important duties. "I have never shrunk from announcing to you God's design in its entirety", St Paul said at Miletus to the Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus (Acts 20: 27). It is true that we Bishops must act prudently. However, this prudence must not prevent us from presenting the Word of God in its full clarity, even those things that people are less willing to hear or that never fail to arouse protests and derision.


Dear Brothers in the Episcopate, you are well aware that there are topics concerning the truth of faith and especially moral doctrine that are not being adequately presented in catechesis and preaching in your Dioceses and that at times, for example, in youth ministry in the parishes or associations, are not being confronted at all or are not being clearly addressed as the Church wishes.


I give thanks to God it is not like this everywhere. However, perhaps those responsible for preaching fear that here and there people might drift away if they spoke too clearly.


Yet experience generally shows that it is precisely the opposite that happens. Be under no illusion. An incomplete Catholic teaching is a contradiction in itself and cannot be fruitful in the long term.

The proclamation of the Kingdom of God goes hand in hand with the need for conversion and love that encourages, that knows the way, that teaches an understanding that with God's grace even what seems impossible becomes possible. Only think how the teaching of religion, catechesis at various levels and preaching can be gradually improved, deepened and as it were completed.


Please use zealously the Compendium and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Ensure that your priests and catechists use these instruments, that they are explained in parishes, associations and movements, and used in families as important reading.


In the uncertainty of this time in history and of our society, offer people the certainty of the complete faith of the Church. The clarity and beauty of the Catholic faith are such that they brighten human life even today! This is particularly true if it is presented by enthusiastic and convincing witnesses.


The clear, public and resolute witness of Bishops, which can give a direction to all the faithful and especially the priests in your special care, and the courage to strengthen the faith through your own attitude, must be accompanied by many measures, often seemingly insignificant and unnecessary, which have a public effect.

Now, for some recent related links to this subject, and content which will qualify what Magister is talking about with regards to the Church in Austria being so "off-kilter".

• Cardinal Schonborn again indicates readiness to question priestly celibacy. (CWNews)
• Cardinal Schonborn discourages attendance at pro-life rally (CWNews)
• Blasphemous Art Work Remains at Vienna Cathedral Gallery (LSN)
• Vienna Catholic Cathedral Blessing for Homosexual Couples (LSN)

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Seminarian with brain tumor and his spiritual journey

Fellow blogger, Philip Gerard Johnson, a seminarian in Raleigh, North Carolina, is in need of some additional prayers. 

I have followed the story of Philip since his blog was initiated back in November of 2008.  He was a young officer in the US Navy at the time when it was discovered that he had an inoperable brain tumor.  He had desires to become a priest.  Bishop Burbridge accepted him into the seminary as he was undergoing a medical discharge from the military.  He had asked for intercessory prayers to Rev. Thomas Frederick Price (1860-1919), whose cause for sainthood is behing advanced.  Bishop Burbridge put his imprimatur on the prayer card for the intercessory prayer that was written, which you can see and pray here for Philip.

Philip learned through an MRI the other day, that his brain tumor is growing once again. He is undergoing more aggressive chemo therapy aimed at reducing the tumor.   

Philip has one of the most interesting blogs. He has traveled the world, doing photoposts from , Ireland, France, Rome and many other places.  One of my favorite posts was when he went to the Holy Land and provided photos of Mt. Carmel!   He also has a nice photopost up about his mother coming into the Church on her first year anniversary.

In March, he was inducted into the Mercedarian Third Order.  (Order of The Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy). It's noteworthy that diocesan seminarians and priests may belong to secular branch of various orders.  Fr. Perrone of Assumption Grotto  is a diocesan priest who is also a secular Carmlite.  Philip writes: 

The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1218 by St. Peter Nolasco for the redemption of Christian captives from Muslim Spain. One of the distinguishing marks of the Order is that, since its foundation, its members are required to take a Fourth Vow to exchange themselves for another who is in danger of losing their Faith.

Johnson has also chronicled another journey on his blog - a spiritual journey with Christ through his suffering with cancer.  In this journey, he teaches us how to make God's will our will.  In reading his posts you will gain appreciation for the little things in life, but also for the gift of faith. 

Those men reading this blog that are considering the priesthood, and seminarians, should follow his writings very closely. His great love for the priesthood, can also inspire priests. May they treasure the gift of their vocation. This is a man who is not hesitating in the least to follow the call, and God's will for him. Learn from him!

Please keep Philip in your prayers (pictured upper left had corner). And, visit his blog, In Caritate non Ficta, to follow him on his spiritual journey. You will learn much.

There is a great story on him from May 2009 in the UK Catholic Herald:  I can't live as if I am dead already.

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Archbishop Petar Rajic takes on two more: Yemen and United Arab Emirates

You might recall back a couple of months ago a profile I did on a priest with an interesting vocational path who was consecrated as Archbishop in Mostar soon after being appointed apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.  Now comes this from Zenit:

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 26, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Petar Rajic, who is currently apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, to also be the Pope's representative to Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.

The appointment was announced Saturday by the Holy See.

Archbishop Rajic, 50, was born in Toronto, Canada. He was ordained a priest in 1987 for the diocese of Trebinje e Mrkan, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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New video on the priesthood: ALTER CHRISTUS

In the email inbox from Sister Anna Riordan, Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother was this excellent resource in the Year for Priests.

Watch this video above.  You will want to go to watch parts 2 and 3 of the video here http://www.eukmamie.org/en/alter.

HM [Home of the Mother] Television, together with the Holy See’s Congregation for the Clergy, presents “Alter Christus”, a fast-paced film on the many aspects of the priesthood in the life of the Church. Centered on the life of St. John Vianney, the topics covered range from the Priestly Identity to the Sacraments, from Celibacy to the Mission. The video is included in 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.

Video includes interviews with: Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Julian Herranz, President of the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia, Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, Abbot Michael John Zielinski, Vice-President of the Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Monsignor Guido Marini, Pontifical Master of Ceremonies, and many others.

The duration of the film is approximately 30 minutes.

Go to the website....to get a copy of this DVD, which contains even more (compare the 30 minutes online with the 180 minutes for the actual DVD.

The DVD includes the film in all five languages, plus special bonus

features:

Complete interviews with Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, Cardinal Antonio

Cañizares, Cardinal Julián Herranz, Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, Msgr. Guido Marini, Abbot Michael John Zielinski and Msgr. Thierry Blot.

Approx. Dur.: 180 mins

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Priest recovers against all odds after being on ventilator for H1N1

Those of you who were at the Helpers of God's Precious Infants vigil with Archbishop Vigneron in November, or who read my photopost on the event, may recall the story of a  priest at St. Joan of Arc (which hosted the Mass and post-vigil meeting) who was put on a ventilator that morning from complications of the H1N1 virus.  Monsignor Bugarin who was handling benediction in the church at the conclusion of the prayer vigil outside of two abortion clinics, went back into a 3 hours of unscheduled Eucharistic Adoration  for Fr. Gerry Bernier - a guest priest at the parish studying at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.  Parishioners learned about the 3 hour Adoration through phone calls to one another.

Here is a very good followup story in the Detroit News.  I had heard that Fr. Gerry recovered, against all odds and I'm glad to see him active again.

St. Clair Shores' priest makes miracle recovery from flu

Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News

St. Clair Shores --The Rev. Gerry Bernier figures God must have been in the driver's seat the night of Nov. 16, when he ended up in Romulus -- 32 miles from his church's rectory -- wearing only his pajamas in 40-degree weather.

A police officer stopped Bernier, 55, for driving 5 miles per hour. He soon realized the priest was terribly sick and called an ambulance. Bernier spent 5 1/2 weeks in and out of consciousness recovering from the H1N1 virus that wracked his body.

The priest's close friends, relatives and even his doctor thought he would not survive the disease that has killed more than 14,000 people around the world and 70 in Michigan since September. But he did, and they say his survival is nothing short of a miracle.

Bernier believes he was used as a "tool" to explain to people the importance of prayer and faith.

"What I went through was not just about me. God was using me as a tool to get out a message," he said. "I think the message is you better believe in God and that God is with us."

Bernier's ordeal has deepened the faith of those who tended to him while he was ill.

"There were a couple of times we thought we were planning a funeral," said Monsignor G. Michael Bugarin of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, where Bernier is stationed as part of a new evangelical studies program for two years. "He almost didn't make it. God was with him in so many ways."

Bernier's near-fatal bout with swine flu has been the buzz among Metro Detroit's Catholics since November. Bugarin even created a Web site to keep parishioners and others abreast of the popular priest's progress.

Now that he's mostly recovered, Bernier said parishioners often ask him if he saw heaven while he was in the coma. Aside from a few delusional dreams -- including visions of dead people, including Elvis Presley -- he says he remembers very little.

Dr. John Hilu, a thoracic surgeon who treated Bernier in the early stages of his H1N1 sickness at Oakwood Annapolis Hospital in Wayne, says he witnessed the priest's journey back from the brink of death.

The surgeon could not give details of Bernier's case because of privacy laws governing medical care, but he said the priest beat some tremendous odds.

Hilu, who is a member of St. Joan of Arc, says Bernier's astonishing recuperation from swine flu bolstered his own faith.

"From a doctor's perspective, there's only so much we can do physically, medically, surgically," said Hilu. "We didn't think he was going to make it. His recovery had that aura that someone else is in charge here."


The virus is marked by coughing, sore throat and fever. Patients with severe cases can suffer dehydration, viral pneumonia and shortness of breath. The most acute form can end in death, say state health officials.

"The infection can get out of control, and if people aren't getting enough oxygen, it can put people on a ventilator," said Dr. Eden Wells, an epidemiologist for the Michigan Department of Community Health.

As doctors struggled to save Bernier's life, parishioners at the 3,700-member church prayed hard for him to be healed.

"For him to recover, it was absolutely nothing short of a miracle," said Mike Barthel, a respiratory therapist and deacon at the church. "There is no doubt in my mind that the power of prayer had a significant impact on Father Gerry."

The Rev. Dan Trapp, the spiritual director for the Sacred Heart Major Seminary's School of Theology in Detroit, said Bernier's experience is an example of a "taste of the Resurrection."

"When the love of God is experienced in such a way, it wakes us up again," said Trapp.

Bernier's struggle to recover involved several weeks of physical therapy that included teaching him simple body movements, such as grasping objects. But, says the priest, his faith was strengthened as a result of that day in November.

"I believe a lot more than the Lord is with us and walks with us and that if you are committed to him he will be committed to you," said Bernier, who says he would like to meet the officer who pulled him over that day to show his appreciation for saving his life.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100206/LIFESTYLE04/2060324/St.-Clair-Shores--priest-makes-miracle-recovery-from-flu#ixzz0f5TuwH7L

Photo: David Coates

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Prospective pro-ball player passes up bucks for priesthood...

Father Lee Acervo follows the story at his blog with a few comments: Top A’s prospect enters priesthood

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Phoenix Bishop discusses Satanic attacks experienced by St.John Vianney

In the Year for Priests, St. John Vianney's life is examined more closely. Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix, talks about demonic attacks suffered by the saint.

From the Catholic Sun:

Year for Priests: St. John Vianney

Part Two: The devil's attacks


Editor’s note: This is the second part in a new series of columns in celebration of the holy Year for Priests.

The influence of the devil can never overcome the power of God’s grace. Jesus assures us of this when He tells Peter (Mt 16:18), “I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” But the evil one, nonetheless, continues to tempt and test all of us during our life on earth.

Satanic attacks were commonplace in the life of Fr. John Vianney. For 35 years, the devil taunted and harassed him, not only in spiritual ways but even in tangible and audible ones. These latter, demonic acts normally are quite rare. But, by the influence of the devil, the Cure of Ars’ bed was moved about, crashing noises resounded, fires were ignited, and other harassments occurred, all in an effort to stop or at least to curtail the priestly ministry of Fr. Vianney. Why did God allow these to occur? How did the saint respond? We shall examine these questions today. We shall also look, in subsequent parts of this series, at other defining characteristics of his life, namely his love for beauty, and his pastoral service of hearing confessions.

Infestations by the devil

Fallen angels, also known as devils and evil spirits, try to hinder all of us in our pursuit of holiness. Their ordinary ploy is by means of temptations, which God allows so that we can make good use of our freedom in resisting them and thus growing to fuller maturity in Christ.

In addition to these ordinary ploys, demons resort to other extraordinary acts, on rare occasions, with the same intention of thwarting the plan of God and undercutting our filial trust in Him. These harassments can be of three kinds: infestations, obsessions and possessions.

With infestations, the devil makes use of noises, outcries, rattling, apparitions and other extraordinary outbursts of some sensible nature aimed at terrifying people, intending to undercut their confidence in God. He used these repeatedly on the Cure of Ars, sometimes to keep him from getting badly needed sleep, at other times to disturb his peace of mind and to try to shake his trust in God. All these were aimed at disrupting the effective ministry of this holy priest.

Early on, Fr. Vianney became aware that these infestations were most outrageous just before an outstanding action of grace was about to occur through his priestly ministry, usually the conversion of a sinner. In fact, he remarked that the worst assaults of the devil happened when he was on the verge of “landing a big fish,” by which he meant welcoming back a baptized person who had fallen far into the darkness of despair. With this insight, Fr. Vianney calmly ignored the infestations, and looked forward with joyful hope to the next victory of grace about to occur through the Sacrament of Penance. If we ever have to deal with similar harassments, we should follow this saintly priest’s good example of calmly ignoring the devil, confidently turning to God in prayer, and deepening our communion with Christ through the Eucharist and the other sacraments.

Obsession and possession by the devil

The Cure of Ars himself never suffered from demonic obsession or possession, but he dealt with them in others whom he served in his sacred ministry. With obsession, the devil goes beyond infestations and actually plays on the external senses of the body or influences a person’s memory or imagination. In cases of possession, which are even more rare than those of obsession, the devil actually uses the whole human organism, with the exception of the mind and will.

The suffering that obsession and possession bring to a person is almost unimaginable. Moreover, to be freed of these satanic harassments, the Church’s sacred power from Christ is needed. This is why bishops appoint exorcists in their dioceses to offer pastoral care for persons afflicted by the devil in these horrifying ways. Through prayers of deliverance and the rites of exorcism, persons are freed from satanic power and their peace of heart and soul is restored.

Very easily, these harassments by the devil can be misunderstood and even exploited by sensationalist segments of the media or by enemies of the Church. For that reason, the Church avoids publicity about them and handles each case without fanfare. But it is more than foolish for any of us to dismiss the reality of the devil and his works of darkness, for as St. Peter warns (1 Pet 5:8-9), “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.”

‘He cast out demons’

It could be said that the priesthood is not fully understandable except in contrast with the work of the devil. The mission of a priest is linked intrinsically to God’s forgiveness of sins through Christ, and to His mission of defeating the devil and ushering in the Kingdom of God. We see this, above all, in the life of Christ Himself, our eternal High Priest. Recall that Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Cf. Lk 8:2), and expelled a whole legion of demons from a possessed man in the territory of the Gerasenes (Cf. Mk 5:1-20). The Catechism of the Catholic Church says of Him (#539), “Christ reveals Himself as God’s Servant, totally obedient to the divine will. In this, Jesus is the devil’s conqueror: He ‘binds the strong man’ to take back his plunder. Jesus’ victory over the tempter in the desert anticipates victory at the Passion, the supreme act of obedience of His filial love for the Father.”

Even before Jesus began His public ministry, the Father allowed Him to be tempted by the devil in the desert (Cf. Mt 4:1-11). He successfully resisted the temptations and made it possible for us to do the same when we are one with Him in faith. In His public ministry, Jesus cast out devils and vanquished the evil one as an integral part of His mission from the Father. He did this in the most humble of ways; as the Letter to the Hebrews says (4:15), “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect was tested as we are, yet without sinning.”

In part three of this series on St. John Vianney, we shall look at the usual way that Christ continues in the Church His victory over the devil, namely through the Sacrament of Confession. Then, in part four we shall look at the Cure’s keen sense of beauty.

Source page for article.

Part 1 of the series, as well as other articles written by Bishop Olmsted can be found on this page at the Catholic Sun.


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Fr. Alberto Cutie leaves Catholic Church...

Curt Jester has the story in this post: Pelvic theology trumps ecclesiology.

I have been monitoring it since this all began, but have not wanted to give him any further publicity than he was seeking. His appearance on the Early Morning Show so quickly after a meeting with his bishop was all I needed to see.

Curt Jester makes an important, fundamental catechetical point: True love involves wanting salvation for those you claim to love. Fr. Cutie not only places his own soul at risk with his actions, but he leads this woman down the same path (and only God knows how many people - poorly catechized - will leave the Catholic Church with him).

Concupiscence is always waiting to be fed. That is why we need to pray for our priests. Since discussion of consupiscence has been largely absent from the pulpit, it makes me wonder if it is even taught in certain seminaries. Once it is thoroughly understood, we realize the importance of not putting ourselves at the buffet table of the world and quicky getting out of the "near occasion of sin". We learn that taming the will requires self-denial of small things to conquer the great things. A soldier's combat training, regardless of how rigorous, can never fully prepare him for war, but trying fighting a battle without it! The training makes it easier, and so it is with the spiritual battle we engage in every day because of Original Sin.

We should also consider how fame can provide an added level of difficulty in dealing with concupiscence. It feeds other lower apetites. Some are strong enough to withstand it. I have always been uncomfortable with Cutie's "Fr. Oprah" status. I had a concern for him and how his popularity could be affecting his judgment.

Pray for Fr. Alberto Cutie, and make an act of reparation today.

Related Links:

• STATEMENT from John C. Favalora, Archbishop of Miami, about Father Alberto Cutié's separation from the Roman Catholic Church
• Florida's 'Father Oprah' joins Episcopal Church (AP)

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Pope Benedict to Congregation for Clergy: Priesthood without Discontinuity

Fr. Z has done a quick translation of an address given at the Congregation for the Clergy by Pope Benedict.

Some of this is almost jaw-dropping - not just because of what is acknowledged, but becaue of who is acknowledging it. These are things people have openly discussed in various circles in the Church (and in not a few quiet corners), but hearing it from the Pope is.....well....refreshing. He gets it. Now he's trying to help others to get it.

I'm using Fr. Z's original emphases in bold:

A grasp of the radical social changes of the last decades must move our better ecclesial energies to take care for the formation of candidates for ministry. In particular, it must stimulate constant solicitude of Pastors toward their first collaborators, either cultivating truly paternal human relations, or concerning themselves with their continuing formation, above all in the matter of doctrine. The mission has its roots in a special way in a good formation, developed in communion with the uninterrupted ecclesial Tradition, without breaks or temptations to discontinuity. In such a sense, it is important to foster in priests, above all in younger generations, a correct reception of the texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, interpreted in the light of the whole doctrinal train of of the Church. There appears to be an urgent need for the recovery of that awareness which drives priests to be present, identifiable and recognizable both for their judgment of faith, and for their personal virtue, and also for their dress (abito), in ambients of culture and of charity, which have ever been at the heart of the mission of the Church.

As a Church and as priests we proclaim Jesus of Nazareth is Lord and Christ, crucifed and risen, King of time and history, in the happy certainty that such a truth coincides with the deepest desires of man’s heart. In the ministry of the incarnation of the Word, in that fact that God became man like us, there is situated both the content and the method of the Christian message. The mission has here its true driving core: namely, in Jesus Christ. The centrality of Christ brings with itself the proper evaluation of the priestly ministry, without which there would be no Eucharist, nor, much less, the mission of the same Church. In this sense it is necessary to be vigilant that "new structures" or pastoral organizations are not considered for a time which one must "do without" ordained ministry, starting from the erroneous interpretation of a right promotion of the laity, for in such a case presuppositions would be advanced for the further dilution of the priestly ministry and the eventual presumed "solutions" would come dramatically to coincide with the real causes of the present challenges bound up with ministry.

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Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity

I just attended, this past Saturday, the Holy Trinity Apostolate's 12th Annual Lenten Symposium.

I had a chance to speak very briefly with Fr. Christopher Nalty following his talk. He gave to me the booklet that he held up during his talk entitled, "Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity". He explained that the book is not being produced in the US in English by the Paulines, who have the rights, for whatever reason.

He provided an url where the material and stories he shared would be available online. I suggested I would offer the link here.

Go to clerus.org and choose your language. If you want English, click here.

In the meanwhile, you may want to contact the Paulines and let them know you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book. Perhaps sales were flat when they discontinued publication of it.

There are fascinating accounts in there on how prayer affected priests and bishops. Do read the online version for now.

EDIT: After you click Clerus.org, and then choose your language, simply click the pic in the lower left hand corner and it will take you to some downloadable PDF's.

Here is the page for the English version.



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Reform of the Reform: Cistercian Monks Turn Liturgical East

H/T to Fr. Z

I have featured several stories of parishes turning liturgically east - ad orientem during their ordinary form Masses (novus ordo), but this is the first religious order I have been able to share. If someone knows of others, please drop links into the combox and I'll follow up on them, or email me at TeDeumBlog@gmail.com.

I would actually like to make a post or post series on orders and parishes celebrating the new Mass ad orientem.

It is very heart-warming to see some of our monastics - specifically Cistercians doing this.

Some Grotto-goers may recall a monk who comes to Grotto a few times yearly to stay with a parishioner.

Fr. Logan, also a military chaplain, is seen hooded in these Memorial Day pictures (with one pic to the right) ahead of the 9:00am, Mass. When Father is with us he enjoys celebrating ad orientem, as well (I am not sure if he has celebrated the TLM at Grotto yet or not. Grotto Masses are in both ordinary and extraordinary forms and even the ordinary form has been celebrated ad orientem for many years now in both English and Latin. The vernacular Mass features much Latin, as well (the ordinaries and the Eucharistic Prayer).

Here is more from Brother Stephen's blog - Sub Tuum - which has been added to my sidebar under the blogging priests, religious and deacon's section.

In my last entry, I said that there might be liturgical developments on the very near horizon and so it has come to pass. This morning the Conventual Mass for the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God was celebrated ad orientem, which will now be the normative position for saying Mass at Our Lady of Spring Bank. (The Mass was solemn Latin in the ordinary form using the Cistercian Graduale.)

There are still many kinks and questions to address pertaining to the rank of feasts, the customs of the ordinary form v. Cistercian usage, the size of our community, and the layout of our oratory. The draft customary will certainly see much fleshing-out and many amendments over the coming months, but Fr. Prior thought that today was the appropriate day to begin to face God together, it being the first of the year and a solemnity of Mary.

I'm sure to have more to say later on this topic as we begin to sand off the rough edges, but I wanted to get the news up since I knew it would be of particular interest to some of you and, perhaps, to a somewhat broader audience, since I believe that this makes us the first house in our order to return to ad orientem celebration. (There are a few more photos here.)

Deo gratias!

See more photos in the original blogpost of Br. Stephen

I go back to something that bears repeating....

Seek not the face of the priest in the Mass,
but the Face of Almighty God!

For those men interested in a more traditional, monastic life - not necessarily "tridentine", you might want to consider the Spring Bank Abbey in Wisconsin, in your discernment.

I might point out, as well, that we should support these religious orders with purchases when we can. Go visit these Cistercians at Laser Monks, as well.

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Zenit: Food Crisis Forces Nigerian Seminary Closure

When you think we have problems....

KOENIGSTEIN, Germany, JUNE 5, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The Catholic seminary in Makurdi in central Nigeria is facing closure this month as a result of the worldwide food crisis, reported Aid to the Church in Need.

Monsignor Kenneth Enang, rector of the seminary, told the aid agency Wednesday that the major seminary, in which some 520 seminarians from 15 dioceses are preparing for the priesthood, has already been forced to ration the food on account of the "astronomical prices."

An additional problem is the price of diesel, which is used to provide electricity. Within just one week, the price of diesel has risen by a third.

The article from Zenit goes on to say that seminaries in other third world countries could close for the same reason.

Here in the US where the young are surrounded by every imaginable kind of noise, poor catechesis, secularism, relativism, and many other kinds of 'isms', it is hard for them to hear the call to the priesthood and our seminaries are not nearly as full as they should be.

Abroad, men in impoverished countries are hearing the call, and the seminaries cannot sustain them.

We need to give money where we can, and where we can't, we need to spend time in adoration, asking Our Lord to assist these places in ways beyond our means. At the same time, we need to pray for more priests here.

When we do get a priest from Nigeria or other third world country, we should be grateful. In some parishes, they face persecution. Sometimes it is because they are orthodox and speak frankly about the faith. Other times it is because people don't want to deal with their accent or they just don't like foreigners. Folks need to grow up and accept priests from whatever distant land they are sent....and be grateful.

Incidentally, ask a priest or sister of Opus Angelorum at Grotto about the monetary needs of the seminary in Brazil where young men do not necessarily get three squares a day.


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Ordinations in the Archdiocese of Detroit - May 10, 2008

This Saturday at 10:00am, five men will be ordained at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit by Adam Cardinal Maida.

Please keep them in your prayers and pray that many more fine men will hear that call and respond with a "fiat".

I found it interesting to read about their backgrounds and what they had to say about certain topics. In particular, I was pleased to see a common thread in this question on each of their pages and I encourage you to check it out. It gives me hope to hear them voice concerns with which I agree because change starts with recognition of the problem.

What are the greatest challenges you see facing the Church? Where do you see the greatest hope?

• Charles Altermatt
• Clint McDonell
• Mark Prill
• Sama Muma
• Lee Acervo

The ordinations are open to the public according to the homepage of the Archdiocese of Detroit website.

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Unusual Ordination in Kazakhstan

This is interesting...

ACN News, Thursday, 24rd April 2008 - KAZAKHSTAN

History in the making

Central Asian republic awaits an ordination quite unlike any other

By John Pontifex

CATHOLICS in Kazakhstan are preparing for the ordination of what Church leaders believe is the first priest to come from the country’s native population in modern times.

Up to 80 percent of Catholic priests and most of the faithful in the central Asian republic are foreigners with the rest made up of descendants of immigrants.

As a result, their outreach to the country’s native people is severely hampered but if all goes to plan the situation could change dramatically when on 29th June 25-year-old Ruslan Rakhimberlinov, a teenage convert to Catholicism, is ordained.

In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, Ruslan’s bishop, Athanasius Schneider of Karaganda, central Kazakhstan explained: “This is a very historic event – the first ever.”

With his Mongolian physical features as is typical among natives in Kazakhstan, Ruslan is expected to make a big impression in a country where often the Catholic Church is often seen as very foreign.

Bishop Schneider, who will preside at the ordination ceremony, said: “I do not expect there will be an immediate reaction but when the people see him, they will I am sure become accustomed to him.”

For Bishop Schneider, the ordination is hugely important: “The Church has yet to be properly implanted and this is only possible with clergy native to Kazakhstan.”

Today’s Catholic community is made up of descendants of people from Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, who were deported to Kazakhstan during the Soviet era. Bishop Schneider said that around Karaganda there was a concentration camp and a series of control centres about the size of France.

Hence the wide gulf in society in Kazakhstan.

The soon-to-be Fr Ruslan can expect to find valuable support from three Sisters in a Carmelite convent in Karaganda diocese, who are also native to Kazakhstan.

The bishop explained that in a mainly Muslim country like Kazakhstan, the Church had to be very careful about charges of forcing, or coercing people to convert to Christianity.

“I hope and I am convinced that the Catholic faith will be more widely present in Kazakhstan but we have to proceed with caution. It is something to work on in the future.”

He stressed the shortage of priests in Kazakhstan saying that his top priority was to promote vocations.

Bishop Schneider explained that as a boy Ruslan and his family lived near a convent and over time he and his family developed an interest in Christianity until they all converted. [continue reading at ACN...]

As an aside, Bishop Schneider has been the topic of news in other posts at Te Deum Laudamus!


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Zenit: Pope Backs Search for Spiritual Moms for Priests

I wrote on this back a few weeks ago..., but a letter by the Holy Father to the Congregation for Clergy has resurfaced this issue.

Pope Backs Search for Spiritual Moms for Priests

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI gave his support to an initiative from the Congregation for Clergy that called for spiritual mothers for priests and Eucharistic adoration for their sanctity.

The Pope, who repeatedly stressed the need for holy priests during his trip to the United States last week, expressed his approval of this project promoted by the Vatican's clergy dicastery.

In a letter sent to the congregation through the Holy Father's secretary of state, the Pope expressed his "personal satisfaction to the Congregation of the Clergy for the initiative […] titled 'Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity,' which is currently spreading throughout the world."

The note further assured that the Pontiff is "grateful for the thoughtful action and the sentiments that the congregation has suggested, and hopeful that the love and devotion to the Eucharistic Lord and devotion to Mary, Mother of Christ the High Priest, might give new fervor to the life and the apostolate of priests."

Benedict XVI imparted his apostolic blessing "as a seal of that hope," the congregation reported.

The initiative was announced last Dec. 8 by the prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Cláudio Hummes and Mauro Piacenza, respectively.

It called for people willing to begin and maintain 24-hour Eucharistic adoration for the priesthood and for "consecrated feminine souls" ready to become spiritual mothers of priests.

The Web site from the dicastery offers explanations and resources both for the campaign to begin Eucharistic adoration and for those who would like to be spiritual mothers of priests, following the example of the Virgin Mary.

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