18/06/2009
Press release
Issued by the NOV
Catholic Church in England and Wales celebrates the Year for Priests with a call to remember to pray for priests
Pope Benedict XVI will officially launch the special ‘Year for Priests’ on Friday 19 June 2009 during a service of Vespers at the Vatican Basilica. The launch date coincides, not by coincidence, with the Feast of the Sacred Heart and the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean Marie Vianney ‘Cure of Ars’ - a great saint known for his care and direction of souls who at times could divine sins withheld during confession.
The start of the year will be marked with a Mass at Westminster Cathedral at 5.30 pm on 19th June celebrated by Archbishop Vincent Nichols. Archbishop Nichols said that this was a year “to appreciate our priests, to treasure their dedication and pastoral work and a year during which we will pray for our priests; that God will bless and strengthen them.”
The Mass will be followed by the launch of the book “Priesthood: A Life Open to Christ” which has been compiled by Canon Daniel Cronin and contains 78 articles on the priesthood written by bishops and priests from around the world.
Fr Eddie Clare, from the National Office for Vocation said: “One important outcome would be a renewed emphasis on vocations. The more we value our priests and their irreplaceable presence at the heart of the Church, more men may consider that this may be their calling in life.”
Many of the 22 dioceses of England and Wales are planning events and resources throughout the course of the Year for Priests. The Archdiocese of Birmingham has created its own website www.yearforpriests.org which also features nationwide resources. The national website, www.ukpriest.org, will be a portal for resources - these will be added to the site over the course of the year and will include testimonies from priests and seminarians around England and Wales.
The Year for Priests also coincides with the visit of the Relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux (Sept 2009). St Thérèse had a special place in her heart for priests and her prayer for priests features on the Year for Priests prayer cards that will be distributed to the dioceses.
In a letter sent out to priests across the globe today, the Holy Father said: “To the Most Holy Virgin I entrust this Year for Priests. I ask her to awaken in the heart of every priest a generous and renewed commitment to the ideal of complete self-oblation to Christ and the Church which inspired the thoughts and actions of the saintly Cure of Ars. It was his fervent prayer life and his impassioned love of Christ Crucified that enabled John Mary Vianney to grow daily in his total self-oblation to God and the Church. May his example lead all priests to offer that witness of unity with their bishop, with one another and with the lay faithful, which today, as ever, is so necessary.”
Pope Benedict's letter (18 June 09)
Pope Benedict XVI’s letter proclaiming a year for priests (pdf)
Notes to editors
For further enquiries please contact the CCN 020 7901 4800
or email: enquiries@ukvocation.org
For more information about the Year for Priests click here: www.ukpriest.org