Praying for Priests

Supporting Your Priest

In the Diocese of Toledo, we encourage the faithful to pray for priests every day. The parents of priests create a calendar so the faithful can pray for a specific priest each day.

Download the Pray for Priests Calendar


Recommended Prayer

Dear Lord,

We pray that the Blessed Mother wrap her mantle around your priests and through her intercession strengthen them for their ministry. We pray that Mary will guide your priests to follow her own words, “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary’s most chaste spouse. May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross. May your priests be holy, filled with the fire of your love seeking nothing but your greater glory
and the salvation of souls.

Amen. Saint John Vianney, pray for us.

show your support

Below are some simple ideas to help celebrate your priest at home:

  • Write a kind letter to your pastor
  • Celebrate in your parish the date of your pastor’s ordination
  • Ask priests to share their stories about vocations
  • Say a prayer every week at mass for priests
  • Have a Eucharist adoration specifically for priests
  • Send a note to parish staff to encourage recognition of priests
  • Invite your parish priest into your home for dinner throughout the year
  • Tell the story of the Cure of Ars
  • Ask laity to tell how a priest have touched their lives
  • Learn more about priests: fact sheets in programs/ newsletters/ websites
  • Hold days of recollections for the priest to go over what the Pope writes and releases
  • Make a special effort to express gratitude for the gift of priests
  • Ask children to write a note to their pastor