The Curé d'Ars Prayer Group

The Curé d'Ars Prayer Group

For the bishop and priests of the Raleigh, NC Diocese.

Devotions

"The worthy priest is an angel of purity in mind and body, a cherub of light and knowledge, a seraph of love and Charity, an apostle of zeal in work and sanctity, a little god on earth in power and authority, in patience and benignity. He is the living image of Christ in this world, of Christ watching, praying, preaching, catechizing, working, weeping, going from town to town, from village to village, suffering, agonizing, sacrificing Himself and dying for the souls created to His image and likeness. . . He is the light of those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He is the destroyer of error, schisms and heresies, the converter of sinners, the sanctifier of the just, the strength of the weak, the consolation of the afflicted, the treasure of the poor. He is the confusion of hell, the glory of heaven, the terror of demons, the joy of angels, the ruin of Satanʼs kingdom, the establishment of Christʼs empire, the ornament of the Church. . ."

-- St. Jean Eudes


Prayer for Priests and Those Aspiring to the priesthood

My God, it is indeed a great honor to be a priest, to be able to make the Incarnate Word come down from heaven, to deliver souls from sin and from hell, to be a vicar of Jesus Christ, to be the light of the world and a mediator between God and sinful men, to be greater and more noble than all the monarchs of the earth, to have higher power than the angels; in a word, to be a god on earth, according to St. Clement’s expression. Yes, it is indeed a great honor, and it is to this honor that Thou vouchsafest to call me, O my God! No greater happiness could be mine; but, on the other hand, no more terrible responsibility: for if Jesus Christ, Thy Son, wills to come down into my hands, and be my food, how eminently pure should I not make myself!

If I am to be a mediator between Thy Majesty and men, how void of sin should I not be! If I am to become the vicar of the Redeemer, how closely should not my life, resemble His! If I am to be a light of the world, how resplendent should not be my virtues! I should become a saint if I am to be worthy of being Thy minister, O God of Holiness!

Grant me, then, O Lord, the necessary dispositions for the sublime state of priesthood, by the mortification of my senses, the patient endurance of all suffering and persecution, the preservation of perfect purity of body, the habit of careful study with a view to being useful to souls, the constant practice of gentleness and charity towards all, a complete retirement from the pleasures of the world. In a word, my beloved Lord, grant me the grace of being always in perfect union with Thee, and grant that, by means of constant prayer, my heart may become the altar on which the fire of divine love is continually burning; so that, after having loved Thee and made Thee to be loved on earth, I may have the happiness of eternally loving Thee in paradise.

O Queen of Heaven, henceforth I wish to do all in my power to make thee loved and worshiped by all. Accept this desire, and give me the means of realizing it. Meanwhile inscribe me amongst thy servants, and never let me become the slave of sin. Amen.

St. Alphonsusʼ Prayer Book (1888)

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