Prayer for Priests

 I. We thank You, Lord Jesus, for having chosen Your priests from among us to send out to proclaim Your word and to act in Your name. For so great a gift to Your Church, we give You praise and thanksgiving. Fill them with the fire of Your love, that their ministry may reveal Your presence in the Church. Since they are frail, as are all men, we pray that Your power shine out through their weakness. In their afflictions let them never be crushed; in their doubts never despair; in temptation never be destroyed; in persecution never abandoned. Inspire them through prayer to unite themselves with You in Your dying and in Your rising. Help them to praise Your heavenly Father and pray for poor sinners. By the gift of the Holy Spirit may Your words be on their lips and Your love in their hearts, to bring good news to the poor and healing to the brokenhearted. May the gift of Mary, Your mother, to the disciple whom You loved, be Your gift to every priest. May she who formed You in her human image, form them in Your divine image, by the power of Your Spirit to the glory of God the Father. Amen. 

II.  O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church; Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit, and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord. Lord, give us holy priests; You yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things.