Daily Prayers To Support Clergy and Other Leaders: Have you ever wondered how or why should we say prayers for the priests in our lives or how you can assist them as we navigate our way through the current situation in the world together? Then this post is for you.
Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, once said, “After God, the priest is everything.” In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, men and women are endowed with authority to represent Jesus Christ to the Church and to the world, and by God’s grace they are empowered as servants, leaders, teachers, reconcilers and enablers.
These powerful prayers are meant to encourage pastors and church leaders. And, also ask the Almighty God to strengthen their ministries and their flocks. Prayerfully support clergy and other parish leaders with these wonderful prayers daily.
Prayer For those to be ordained
Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who of your divine providence have appointed various orders in your Church: Give your grace, we pray, to all who are [now] called to any office and ministry for your people; and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before you, to the glory of your great Name and for the benefit of your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
Prayer For Monastic Orders and Vocations
O Lord Jesus Christ, you became poor for our sake, that we might be made rich through your poverty: Guide and sanctify, we pray, those whom you call to follow you under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, that by their prayer and service they may enrich your Church, and by their life and worship may glorify your Name; for you reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Prayer For Church Musicians and Artists
O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer For The Men Of God
Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift: Send down upon our bishops, and other clergy, and upon the congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of your grace: and, that they may truly please you, pour upon them the continual dew of your blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Pray Blessings and Gratitude over Pastor
Dear Lord,
Thank you for sending our pastor to shepherd the church. I’m grateful for the love you put in the pastor’s heart for You and Your people. I appreciate the unique set of gifts and talents that enrich the pastor’s ministry and bless our church. Would You, in turn, bless the pastor today? Help the pastor to sense Your presence in such a sweet way. Fill the pastor up, Lord and use the pastor for Your glory today. And show me how I can support and encourage. Thanking You for this good leader, I pray this in Jesus’ name.
Prayer For the Election of a Bishop or other Minister
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese (or, rector for this parish), that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer For All Priests
Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of
our priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the
sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.
Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength
they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.
Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as
our Eternal Priest.
Amen.
Prayer For the Diocese
O God, by your grace you have called us in this Diocese to a goodly fellowship of faith. Bless our Bishops(s) N. [and N.], and other clergy, and all our people. Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard, your Sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received. By your Spirit, fashion our lives according to the example of your Son, and grant that we may show the power of your love to all among whom we live; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer For Blessing And Wisdom Increase
Almighty God, I come to you today interceding for my pastor. I know there will be many important decisions that must be made, many words that must be chosen carefully, many needs that must be answered. It’s a day that the pastor can’t handle with only human abilities. The pastor needs Your wisdom and Your guidance. Only You know what today will bring, and only You know what the demands will be. Meet them, oh Lord, and give the pastor just what is needed, just when it’s needed. I’m thanking you, in Jesus’ name.
Prayer for Priest/Religious of the Day
O Jesus, Eternal High Priest, live in (Name), act in him,
speak in and thru him.
Think Your thoughts in his mind, love through his heart.
Give him Your own dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide him always. Correct, enlighten
and expand his thoughts and behavior.
Possess his soul; take over his entire personality and
life.
Replace him with Yourself. Incline him to constant
adoration and thanksgiving;
pray in and through him.
Let him live in You and keep him in this intimate union
always
O Mary, Immaculate Conception, Mother of Jesus and
Mother of priests,
Pray and intercede for (Name).
Amen.
Prayer For those about to be Baptized or to renew their Baptismal Covenant
O God, you prepared your disciples for the coming of the Spirit through the teaching of your Son Jesus Christ: Make the hearts and minds of your servants ready to receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit, that they may be filled with the strength of his presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer Of Mercy For Priests
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.
Love Prayer Surround and Encourage Your Pastor
Dear Holy Spirit,
Today I pray for the fruits of the spirit in my pastor’s life—that love, joy, peace, and patience will guide; that kindness and goodness will be companions; that faithfulness will be the motto, and that gentleness and self-control will be evident to all. Help the pastor to see each person today through Your eyes. And help them to see You in the pastor. I love you, Lord, and I thank you for my pastor, in Jesus’ name.
Prayer for Clergy and Religious
Eternal Father,
we lift up to you these
and all the clergy and religious
of the world.
Sanctify them.
Heal them; guide them.
Mold them into the
likeness and holiness
of Your Son, Jesus,
the Eternal High Priest.
May their lives be pleasing to You.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Fr. Benedict’s Prayer for Priests
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.
St. John Vianney’s Prayer for Priests
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.
St. Pope John Paul II’s Prayer for Priests to Our Blessed Mother
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.
St. Therese of Lisieux’s Prayer for Priests
O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the 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 minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and
everlasting crown.
St. Teresa of Calcutta’s Prayer for Priests
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.
St. Faustina’s Prayer for Priests
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.