 |
Pope Benedict XVI has established a special Year for Priests from 19 June 2009 until 11 June 2010, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the death of St John Vianney, the holy Curé d’Ars, Patron of Priests.
|
Title image: St John Vianney, the holy Curé d’Ars
|
Year for Priests calendar of events updateJune 15, 2010 |Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor marks the end of the Year for Priests with an address to Irish priests in Maynooth The Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor was the guest speaker at the Maynooth Union Celebrations on Tuesday 15 June 2010. The address was written and the invitation extended prior to his appointment by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI as the apostolic visitor for the Archdiocese of Armagh. Press release and full text of address …
Further details of the event on www.maynoothcollege.ie Image gallery from the event … Details of other events during the Year for Priests … 13 June 2010 |Benedict XVI: Priests be hard-working witnessesPope Benedict XVI renewed his thanks to faithful priests throughout the world at the traditional Sunday Angelus in St Peter’s Square. He said he hopes that the figure of holy Curé of Ars, St John Marie Vianney, might continue to provide a nourishing example to priests in their personal conversation with God. More videos relating to the Year for Priests … |
Articles by Bishops20 April 2010 | Bishop Philip Boyce has written about the visit of the Relics of St John Vianney to Ireland for the Irish Times. Read more … More articles on the priesthood by Irish Bishops … Prayer of Pope Benedict XVIPrayer recited by Pope Benedict XVI before the relics of Saint John Vianney on June 19th 2009 in Saint Peter’s Basilica at the opening of the Year for Priests:  Lord Jesus, who in Saint John Vianney desired to give to the Church a touching image of your pastoral charity, grant that, in his company and supported by his example, we may fully live this Year for Priests.Grant that, like him, pausing before the Eucharist, we may learn how simple is your word that trains us daily; how tender is the love with which you welcome penitent sinners; how consoling is the confident trust in your Immaculate Mother.
O Lord Jesus, grant that through the intercession of the holy Curé of Ars, Christian families may become “little churches” in which all the vocations and charisms given by your Holy Spirit may be welcomed and valued. Give to us, Lord Jesus, the ability to repeat with the same ardour of the Curé of Ars the words he used to address you: “I love you, my God, and only desire to love you until the last breath of my life. I love you o God infinitely lovable and I prefer to die loving you than to live a single moment without loving you. Amen. Online resources
Saint John Vianney, the Curé of Ars
More about Saint John Vianney … Letter of His Holiness Benedict XVI proclaiming a Year for PriestsIn his letter, dated 16 June 2009, announcing the Year for Priests, the Holy Father explains that it is meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior renewal for the sake of a more forceful and incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world. |
This year of 2009 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Saint John Vianney, the Curé of Ars. On 16 March last, in an address to the members of the Congregation for the Clergy when he announced the forthcoming Year for Priests, the Holy Father highlighted the indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every truly priestly heart’. He also called the Curé of Ars, ‘a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ’s flock’. The Pope inaugurated the Year on 19 June 2009, presiding at Vespers in St. Peter’s Basilica where the relics of the Curé of Ars were brought for the occasion by Bishop Guy Bagnard of Belley-Ars, France.
