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“Is it Enough?” These three words were chosen for a title of a blog that I wrote back in March of 2024. It was the Season of Lent and I was asking my readers and myself – “were we doing enough?” Well, it seems we are back to that same question as you will see. . .”Is it Enough?” Are our prayers enough?
Let us journey together throughout this blog and find out why that question is so pertinent for us today and for the days ahead.
Let Us Begin
On Saturday, September 14th – the “Feast Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross,” I received a comment from a reader regarding the posting – “Is it Enough?” She wrote the following:
“Your writing is so relatable and down-to-earth –
It’s like having a conversation with a good friend.
Thank you for always being real with your readers.”
It is with gratitude that I thank this particular person for sending in her comment that was truly Holy Spirit “driven.” It prompted me to act on her words and she pushed me to write an “unexpected blog.”
In the last 7 years that I have been invited to write for Christine Watkins, I have tried to be “real.” This early Sunday morning, I intend to just that!
So grab a cup of coffee and let’s have a one- on- one conversation.
I begin with a “dedication to Fr. Peter.”
On the vigil of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Fr. Peter expressed his deepest desire for us “to pray for him.” We were seated before him as he gave a homily that hit the air like “arrows.”
They reached their intended goal and “pierced our hearts.” They were heard in the depths of our very being. It was a “cry for life.” He was asking from the deepest part of his being for our prayers.
It was a “cry for life” for us, too, who depend on him and “all priests” to nourish us with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
This blog today is written for “not only” Fr. Peter but for all priests throughout the world who work tirelessly to save our souls. It’s a call for our prayer and the question is posed once again – “Is it Enough?” Are we doing enough for our Priests?
I would imagine that most of us “got it” that when our Churches were closed down during Covid – we were not able to receive the Holy Eucharist. Plain and simple! We were deprived of the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and it left us weak and vulnerable. Our priests were also “deprived” of their very call to shepherd their flocks and feed their sheep. It was a horrendous situation! People were scared, confused and many became “lost sheep” during that time. The habit of watching Mass on T.V. became the norm. It has continued unfortunately in many parishes throughout the world leaving the “flock” hungry for their life-giving food. Pews are empty at a time when they should be overflowing.
It has also left our priests confused and wondering themselves. We are living through incredible mind-blowing times and we need our “priests” to be “mighty men of strength!” We need “priests” that can move our hearts and souls and guide us safely through this time of darkness to our eternal true home. We need “brick-strong” priests!
We must “pray and intercede” for our priests and we must encourage them! MIGHTILY!!!! Here is one way – an example of one prayer group that prays for priests.
On June 28, 2018, our dear Blessed Mother birthed a prayer group and called many of us forth with a mission. She had a plan and it was for us to pray for Her priest sons. She also gave us a title – “Dare Alla Luce” which means “give birth to or give to the light.” That title rings true in the “realm of intercession.”
We have tried our very best to be faithful to that call. Everyday through an email “4 named priests” are lifted up. Each of these “4 priests” will have a “prayer warrior” pray an entire rosary for them. The rest of the prayer group which includes 31 other people also join in the prayers. We are blessed to have two priests praying with us as well for their own brothers in Christ.
On Sundays, we lift up each of our own Pastors that shepherd our communities.
Our “Master List” of Priests is nearly 300 and growing. On Fridays, we pray for deceased priests and have Masses celebrated for their souls.
Our prayers do give birth to vocations to the priesthood and religious life! With our heartfelt prayers, we give “light” to those in confusion and darkness. The call is for “all of us,” to be “birth givers and light givers.”
This is just one illustration on what you personally may do to pray for our beloved priests. There are endless possibilities! Be open to the Light of the Holy Spirit in guiding you on a particular way of praying for Priests.
Recently I attended a Mass at a local Parish – Our Lady of Hope. After the Mass, Fr. Austin sat amongst us and participated in praying the rosary with us. I cannot express the joy in hearing his voice belting out Hail Mary’s! His voice was mighty and strong and he was praying and honoring his Mother in Heaven. I know he was doing more than that as well. He was saving souls. He was present with his sheep and he was praying with them.
Today, September 15th is Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day. Our dear Blessed Mother sheds tears in so many of Her apparitions throughout the world.
Why? She sheds tears for not only us…but also for her “Priest Sons” for so many reasons.
Listen to Her message to Fr. Gobbi and Her Beloved Sons in the “Blue Book – The Marian Movement of Priests”
“My Urgent Invitation” – November 14, 1984
I am the Queen of Peace
Never before as today has the human race been so threatened by the danger of war and of an immense destruction. Look to me as to her who has the task from God of bringing peace to the world.
For this, I invite you to beg for it through a prayer which is continuous, trusting and always made with me. Love all, receive the Holy Rosary. In this way you can obtain from the Lord the great grace of changing hearts, that all may open themselves to sentiments of love and of goodness. Thus peace can enter into the hearts of men and then be spread into families, nations and the whole world.
Our Lady invites “Her Priest Sons” to pray the rosary in the above message. Let us invite our priests to pray the rosary with us as well.
Invite them after Mass to sit and pray with your community. Invite them to pray the rosary in the “church” of your homes. Invite them for “processions” and “rosary rallies.” October is around the corner. . .the month of the Holy Rosary – INVITE – INVITE – INVITE.
The message above from Our Blessed Mother to Her priest sons and Fr. Gobbi was given almost 40 years ago this coming November 14th. Look where we are! Times now are incredulous!
I chose the picture above for it clearly illustrates all the words contained in this blog. We are praying for priests. They are praying for us. We are all at the Foot of the Cross – the Feast Day we just celebrated on Saturday, September 14th.
We celebrate today, September 15th – Our Lady of Sorrows.
We all stand at the Foot of the Cross. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us “His Mother” as He hung on the Cross dying for our sins.
She is our Mother and has given us the ways and means “to pray.”
She has called us forth to pray the Rosary. In every apparition, She requests a Chapel to be built. Why? So we can receive Her Son in the Most Holy Eucharist.
We need our priests. They are “In Persona Christi” – a Latin phrase meaning “in the person of Christ.” Sr. Lucia said the final battle between the evil one and our world would be the “family and marriage.” Our family includes “our priests!”
As we pray for our families and our world….let us not forget our Priests…..who are here “in the person of Christ.”
Let us not forget the Sacraments which Priests minister to us and are outward signs of the invisible spiritual reality. What a blessing!
The first three Sacraments are Initiation into the Catholic Church. They Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion!
The other 4 guide us through life – the Sacrament of Reconciliation – Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and the Sacrament of Holy Orders. We need our Priests! Let us Pray!
I wish I could list each and every priest that has influenced my life in some special way. . .but this blog would go on forever.
For the present moment, I would like to honor “Fr. Mark Beard.” The image below shows Fr. Mark with his dear mother “Flo.” Fr. Mark Beard left us way too soon, however, he still speaks to us powerfully from the eternal. He is still guiding us and through all his you-tubes being shown of past homilies – we are being powerfully taught in the present!
Let us never forget to pray for our deceased priests! They intercede powerfully for us and ask for our prayers as well. Fr. Mark reminded us of that call in his last homily before his tragic death.
We pray, too, for the mothers and fathers of our priests who give their sons as a sacrifice to bring salvation to our souls.
May God Bless them forever. . .
“Nothing that is related to the priesthood should be indifferent to us.”
“Oh, Queen and Mother of Priests,
bless them!
Intercede for the Pope,
the Bishops and for all priests
that they might more effectively
extend the Reign of Your Divine Son in the world!”
Venerable Felix of Jesus Rougier M.Sp.S.
©2024 Anita Guariglia
Photo Credits/ Pinterest and Instagram
Priest with Blessed Mother on Vestment/Anita Guariglia
Quotes from “To the Priests – Our Lady’s Beloved Sons”
