For Vocations

Almighty and eternal God, in your unfailing love you provide ministers for your Church. We pray for those whom you call to serve the Church of Trenton as Priests, Deacons, Sisters, and Brothers. Inspire in them a generous response. Grant them courage and vision to serve your people. May their lives and service call your people to respond to the presence of your Spirit among us that, faithful to the Gospel, they may announce glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, set prisoners free, and renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Lord Jesus,
Send forth your Spirit to enlighten many generous persons, ready and willing to serve the Church. Help us to believe with renewed fervor in the evangelical ideal of the priest who is completely devoted to building up the Kingdom of God and to eagerly encourage priestly vocations. May the young men of our community not be led astray by the things of this world but open their hearts to the voice that calls them so that they might devote themselves to Christ and the Church with an undivided heart. May they see the beauty and grandeur of the priestly life. May our families create a Christian climate that fosters the important religious choices of their children. May all priests be an example and inspiration to those called by their manner of life. We do not doubt the power and action of your grace. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us that there may never be a shortage of holy priests.   Amen.

Saint John Paul II

Lord of the Harvest, we petition you as you have instructed us, to ask for more laborers to serve in the vineyard of Your Church. You have told us that the harvest is rich and laborers are few and we experience this great need in the face of the challenge of the New Evangelization. We ask the Holy Spirit to inspire young men to seriously consider a vocation to the priesthood. Help all of us to be effective instruments to encourage and support those whom you are calling to serve and lead the Church in the future. Lord, you told the Apostles to put out into the deep. We ask for the grace and courage to accept your call as we pray and work for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. We ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest. Amen.

Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd, may young people in our parish hear your call and follow your voice as they discern their vocations. Lead your people to heaven through the ministry of holy priests and consecrated men and women. Jesus, we trust in you! Amen.

God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s Kingdom as priests, deacons, and consecrated persons. Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to your call. May our community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth and young adults. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
 

A Prayer for Priests
(found next to the intention candles in St. Anthony Church)

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; your young priests; for your dying priests; for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.

But above all, I commend 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. O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart, and bless them abundantly in time and eternity. Amen.