Prayer for Priests for 2024 [Powerful Prayers!]

About Prayer for Priests

A priest has to serve as a priest twenty-four hours a day. A priest has to prepare sermons, pray to God daily, celebrate Mass, act as counsel to the people of his congregation, and also serve the poor and the sick.

Prayers for priests are our appreciation for their service.

Prayers for Anniversary of Priestly Ordination

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Introduction

Good morning/afternoon. And welcome to our prayer service to celebrate <<mention Father’s name>> anniversary of priestly ordination. Please join us as we begin our prayer with our opening prayer

Opening Prayer

God our Father, we praise You for the great mercy You have shown by sending priests to shepherd us, to preach Your holy word, to bring us new life in Christ, to nourish, forgive, heal and strengthen us through the sacraments of Your Church. We thank you for the gift of <<mention Father’s name>> priesthood, and for all that we and so many others have received through <<mention Father’s name>> generous self-giving service.

Open our hearts now to the joy of Your Spirit as we listen to your holy word and praise You for the gift of our beloved Pastor. We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, the Eternal High Priest, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

We thank you for raising up men and women of faith to preach your Word and administer your Sacraments, especially we pray for <<mention Father’s name>>. As you have blessed him/her during <<number of years>> years of ministry, grant that s/he may continue to keep his/her ordination vows, fulfill his/her duties of ministry, serve your people, build up your Church, and glorify your name. Lord, in your mercy,

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Read more: The Lord’s Prayer Meaning

Prayer for a Priest By John Joseph, Cardinal Carberry

Written by John Joseph, Cardinal Carberry (+1998), Archbishop of St. Louis 1968-1979.

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

O Jesus, our great High Priest, Hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priest, <<mention Father’s name>>. Give him a deep faith a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of his priestly life.

In his loneliness, comfort him In his sorrows, strengthen him In his frustrations, point out to him that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show him that he is needed by the Church, he is needed by souls, he is needed for the work of redemption.

O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your son who is close to you because of his priestly ordination, and because of the power which he has received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs him so much.

Be his comfort, be his joy, be his strength, and especially help him to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. Amen.

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Prayers for Priests

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Dear Lord Jesus, You have given us a holy priest in <<mention Father’s name>>. We are grateful for the many blessings of this good man who brings us your holy sacraments of salvation. In his hands and prayers bring us your saving grace in the waters of baptism, your infinite mercy in forgiving our sins and your sustaining and saving grace in the most Holy Eucharist.

We pray that he will have a long life with which to bless your Church and a happy death as he is ushered into your eternal bliss.

Just as <<mention Father’s name>> is there to anoint the dying, grant that he will receive the same grace at his death. We beg you, Jesus, that this holy priest will be protected from all spiritual and temporal attacks and that his fidelity to the Church and faith in you will endure, unwavering, until the end. Father in heaven, bless and multiply in <<mention Father’s name>> ministry so that Your Church will multiply for your glory and for our salvation.

Please shower him with your blessings every day. We praise and thank you, most Holy God, for the gift of <<mention Father’s name>>!

We thank you for his years of service and ask you to bless us with many more years with our beloved pastor. Amen.

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Jesus, Eternal Priest; keep all Your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may harm them. Keep unstained their anointed hands which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips purpled with Your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts sealed with the sublime marks of Your glorious priesthood. Let Your holy love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they have ministered to be their joy and consolation and in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown.

O Mary, Queen of the clergy, pray for us; obtain for us many holy priests. Amen.

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Read more: Footprints in the sand poem

Lord Jesus, you have chosen Your priests among us
and have sent them to proclaim Your Word and to act in Your Name.
For such a great gift to Your Church, we praise You and we thank You.
We ask that you fill them with the fire of Your love,
that their ministry may reveal Your presence in the Church.

Since they are earthen vessels, we pray
that your power may work in their weakness.
In their afflictions do not let them be crushed;
in their doubts, do not let them despair;
in temptation, do not let them be destroyed.
Inspire them through prayer to live each day
the mystery of your death and Resurrection.

In times of weakness, send them Your Spirit
and help them to praise your heavenly Father and to pray for poor sinners.
With the same Holy Spirit place your word on their lips and your love in their hearts,
that they may bring the Good News to the poor and revive the broken-hearted.
Lastly, may the gift of Mary, your mother,
to the disciple whom you loved, be your gift to every priest.

Grant that she, who formed You in your human image,
may form each priest in Your divine image,
through the power of Your Spirit, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Heavenly Father, grant that our priests be strengthened and healed
by the power of the Eucharist they celebrate.
May the Word they proclaim give them courage and wisdom.

We pray that all those whom they seek to serve
May see in them the love and care of Jesus,
Our Eternal High Priest, who is Lord for ever and ever.

Amen.

Mary, Mother of the Church, look tenderly upon your sons, our priests.
St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us all.

Lord Jesus Christ, You love Your church and those called to share Your priesthood! With our love and prayers, we join You in asking our Heavenly Father to continue to pour out His gifts of holiness, compassion and zeal on your priests everywhere. Inspire each of them to offer his life as an “Ambassador of Christ”, bringing reconciliation and healing to the world.

Mary, Mother of all Priests, inspire us to live in peace and joy and pray this prayer with us. Amen.

Eternal God,
please bless our priests,
who represent You on this earth.
Make them more greatly aware of the grace
that You pour out through them
when they minister the sacraments,
and help them to fall more deeply in love with You
after each and every Mass that they celebrate.

Please strengthen our priests,
who shepherd Your flock,
when they are in doubt of their faith,
that they may be examples of Your Truth
and guide us always on the path to You.
We ask these things of You our Eternal Priest.
Amen.

Read more: Holy Family Novena

Prayer for Priests By Pope Benedict XVI

Lord Jesus Christ, eternal High Priest,
You offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the Cross
and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
gave Your priestly people a share in Your redeeming sacrifice.

Hear our prayer for the sanctification of our priests.
Grant that all who are ordained to the ministerial priesthood
may be ever more conformed to You, the Divine Master.

May they preach the Gospel with pure heart and clear conscience.
Let them be shepherds according to Your own Heart,
single-minded in service to You and to the Church
and shining examples of a holy, simple and joyful life.

Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother and ours,
draw all priests and the flocks entrusted to their care
to the fullness of eternal life where you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Prayer for Priests By St. Mother Teresa

Mary, Mother of Jesus, throw your mantle of purity over our priests.
Protect them, guide them, and keep them in your heart.

Be a Mother to them,
especially in times of discouragement and loneliness.
Love them and keep them belonging completely to Jesus.
Like Jesus, they, too, are your sons, so keep their hearts pure and virginal.
Keep their minds filled with Jesus, and put Jesus always on their lips,
so that he is the one they offer to sinner and to all they meet.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, be their Mother,
loving them and bringing them joy.
Take special care of sick and dying priests, and the ones most tempted.
Remember how they spent their youth and old age,
their entire lives serving and giving all to Jesus.

Mary, bless them and keep a special place for them in your heart.
Give them a piece of your heart, so beautiful and pure and immaculate,
so full of love and humility, so that they, too, can grow in the likeness of Christ.
Dear Mary, make them humble like you, and holy like Jesus.

Amen.

Prayer for a Priest by St. Faustina

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 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.

Amen.

Prayer for Priests By Pope St. John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis

This prayer was written by Pope St. John Paul II.

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Mother of Jesus Christ and Mother of priests,

Accept this title which we bestow on you to celebrate your motherhood
and to contemplate with you the priesthood of your Son and of your sons,
O holy Mother of God.

Mother of Christ,
to the Messiah Priest you gave a body of flesh
through the anointing of the Holy Spirit
for the salvation of the poor and the contrite of heart;
guard priests in your heart and in the Church,
O Mother of the Savior.

Mother of Faith,
you accompanied to the Temple the Son of Man,
the fulfillment of the promises given to the fathers;
give to the Father for his glory the priests of your Son,
O Ark of the Covenant.

Mother of the Church,
with the disciples in the Upper Room
you prayed to the Spirit for the new People and their shepherds;
obtain for the Order of Presbyters a fullness of gifts,
O Queen of the Apostles.

Mother of Jesus Christ,
you were with Him at the beginning of His life and of His mission,
you sought the Master among the crowd,
you stood beside Him when he was lifted up from the earth
consumed as the one eternal sacrifice,
and you had John close by you, your son;
accept from the beginning those who have been called,
protect their growth, accompany your sons in their life and in their ministry,
O Mother of Priests. Amen.

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Prayer For Priests By St. John Vianney

This prayer was written by St. John Vianney who is the Patron of Priests

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

God, please give to your Church today many more priests after your own heart. May they be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd. May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance; be examples of humility and poverty; shining models of holiness; tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God; zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments. May their loving devotion to your Son Jesus in the Eucharist and to Mary his Mother be the twin fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry. Amen.

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Catholic Prayer for Priests By St. Therese of the Child Jesus

O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
for your unfaithful and tepid priests;
for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptized me;
the priests who absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
the priests who taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way especially <<mention Father’s name>>.
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

Amen.