A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS (By Saint Thérèse.)

0 Holy Father,
may the torrents of love
flowing from the sacred wounds
of your Divine Son
bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John
who stood at the foot of the cross;
priests, who as a pledge of your own most tender love
will lovingly give Your Divine Son to the souls of men.

May your priests be faithful guardians of your Church,
as John was of Mary,
whom he received into his house.
Taught by this loving Mother
who suffered so much on Calvary,
may they display a mother’s care
and thoughtfulness towards your children.
May they teach souls
to enter into close union with you through Mary who,
as the Gate of Heaven,
is specially the guardian of the treasures
of your Divine Heart.

Give us priests who are on fire,
and who are true children of Mary,
priests who will give Jesus to souls
with the same tenderness and care
with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.

Mother of sorrows and of love,
out of compassion for your beloved Son,
open in our hearts deep wells of love,
so that we may console Him
and give Him a generation of priests
formed in your school
and having all the tender thoughtfulness
of your own spotless love.’