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Year for Priests
Ministry rooted in 'sharing in the priestly heart of Christ'
by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 19, 2009
Year for Priests
In the first issue of each month, The Michigan Catholic will include a list of priests born that month along with a central address for those who wish to send cards or letters. The first list will run in the July 3 issue. |
Detroit - The Archdiocese of Detroit has more than 600 reasons to celebrate the special Year for Priests this year.
The special year, declared by Pope Benedict XVI, begins today and will be celebrated until June 19, 2010. The pope has also declared St. John Vianney the universal patron of priests, as it's the 150th anniversary of his death.
In the archdiocese, there are events planned both for priests and for those who are soon to become priests. According to the Chancellor's office, the archdiocese has 624 priests in parishes, teaching at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, or serving in other ministries.
"In deciding to begin the Year for Priests, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Benedict is underscoring the conviction that the very essence of the priest's' identity and ministry is rooted in his sharing in the priestly heart of Christ," said Archbishop Allen Vigneron. "We in the Archdiocese of Detroit are reminded of this truth by the fact that our own archdiocesan seminary is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. This year is a great season of grace, to pray that our priests and seminarians will be configured more closely to Christ, and to pray, too, for many more men to accept the Lord's invitation to become sacraments of His priestly love for His people - a love 'unto the end.'"
At the seminary, the year-long celebration begins with a holy hour of Eucharistic adoration for seminarians, said Fr. Dan Trapp, associate professor of theology. He plans on organizing an event each month to celebrate the priesthood; upcoming events could include a walking pilgrimage, a rosary procession and a video presentation about St. John Vianney.
"Regularly, the Church announces special days and special years to celebrate the life of Christ or the lives of the saints," Fr. Trapp said. "Right now the Holy Father is calling on us to celebrate the ministerial priesthood, especially through the life of St. John Vianney."
He said many of the seminarians have developed a devotion to the saint over the years.
Fr. Tim Birney, director of the archdiocesan Vocation Office, will be leading a nine-day priest pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome for the conclusion of the Year for Priests. The pope will be celebrating a Mass in St. Peter's Square and has invited priests from all around the world, Fr. Birney said.
In a March papal address announcing the special year, Pope Benedict said the priest's mission is "carried out 'in the Church.'" "This ecclesial communal, hierarchical and doctrinal dimension is absolutely indispensable to every authentic mission and alone guarantees its spiritual effectiveness," he said. "... Within and through his own humanity every priest must be well aware that he is bringing to the world Another, God himself. God is the only treasure which ultimately people desire to find in a priest."
Pope Benedict XVI chose to begin the Year for Priests on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a day of prayer for the sanctification of all priests. The Year for Priests Web site is www.usccb.org/yearforpriests. The site includes the announcement of the plenary indulgence in conjunction with the celebration and specially commissioned prayers for priests and laity.
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