PRAYERS FOR YOUR CELEBRATION
Prayers of the Faithful for Priests and Religious
Prayers for clergy and religious can ask for the same gifts that sustain any vocation: faith, strength, peace, and support in times of trial. They should express care without becoming instructions about ministry. These sets include the Church’s ministers and those discerning a call to service, while retaining the wider needs of the world and the local community. You can replace a general reference with the name of a priest, deacon, bishop, or religious community where appropriate. For an ordination or profession, the parish should check the particular celebration’s requirements. Choose one set and keep any personal addition brief.
THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER
Prayers of the Faithful for Priests and Religious
PRIEST · INTRODUCTION
Let us pray to God our Father for those serving his Church and for all who need his grace.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For bishops, priests, deacons, and religious, that God may sustain their faith, renew their strength, and bless their service.
We pray to the Lord.
For leaders seeking an end to conflict, that God may guide their work and bring relief to communities torn by war.
We pray to the Lord.
For people suffering from addiction or mental illness, that God may sustain their recovery and strengthen those who support them.
We pray to the Lord.
For those discerning a call to priesthood, the diaconate, or religious life, that the Lord may guide them with wisdom and peace.
We pray to the Lord.
For all the dead whose names are known to God alone, that his mercy may bring them to everlasting life.
We pray to the Lord.
For our parish and the ministers who serve us, that God may strengthen our unity and bless our care for one another.
We pray to the Lord.
PRIEST · CONCLUDING PRAYER
Father of goodness, hear our prayers. Sustain those called to serve your Church and bless all your people with peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Click or tap any prayer text to edit. Your changes stay on this device.
Pope Francis’s prayer intention for priests: the original source
Pope Francis’s June 2019 intention invited prayer for priests’ humble service and care for people in poverty. Read his original message at Vatican News. The intercessions on this page are our own examples, not a transcription of his text.
This is a historical intention from 2019. For the current Pope’s published monthly intention, use the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.
A short daily prayer for priests
Outside Mass, you may pray in your own words for priests you know and for those who are isolated or struggling.
Original devotional prayer: Lord Jesus, sustain our priests in their service. Give them faithful friends, rest in weariness, and peace in your love. Amen.
This personal prayer is distinct from a complete set of intercessions for Mass.
An intention for an ordination anniversary
Adapt one petition in the complete set rather than adding a long tribute.
Original intention: For Father Joseph on his ordination anniversary, that God may renew his strength and grant him peace in his service.
A prayer intention for a new bishop
For the appointment or installation of a bishop, confirm the name and occasion with the diocese. One concise Church intention is usually enough; the whole series should still include the needs of the world, people who suffer and the local community.
Original Church intention — use instead of an existing Church intention: For Bishop [Name] as he begins his ministry among us, that God may grant wisdom, courage, and a faithful shepherd's heart.
Replace the bracketed name before printing. At a special liturgical celebration, the celebrant should review this draft alongside the approved rite and diocesan directions.
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE
Preparing these prayers.
Can I use these for a priest’s anniversary?
Yes. Name the priest in one petition and ask for renewed strength and joy in service. An anniversary reference can remain short; a longer tribute belongs outside the Universal Prayer.
Should we include deacons and religious brothers or sisters?
Yes, where relevant. A clear collective phrase can include the people for whom the parish wishes to pray without turning the intention into a long list of titles.
Are these the same as the litany at an ordination?
No. These are examples of the Universal Prayer. They do not replace the litany or other texts appointed in an ordination or profession rite.
