One hundred fifty years ago this week, on Aug. 4, 1859, St. John Vianney passed from this world into eternal life. This saintly and beloved parish priest, known throughout the Catholic world as the Curé of Ars, is honored today as the universal patron of priests.

In celebration of St. John Vianney’s outstanding witness of priestly holiness and dedication to pastoral ministry, Pope Benedict has declared a Year For Priests to coincide with this 150th anniversary. The purpose of this year is to affirm the dignity of the priesthood and the unique and irreplaceable ministry of priests in the life of the Church.

It is an opportunity to thank our priests and to encourage young men to be open to God’s mysterious call to this awesome gift of the priesthood. It is especially a time to renew our prayer for our priests and for priestly vocations.

The theme for this jubilee year is “Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests.” The Curé of Ars was a living icon of the faithfulness of Christ whose life, death and resurrection fully revealed the Father’s mercy.

Like St. John Vianney, each and every priest is intimately united with Christ in the very depths of his being through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Each priest is ordained to be a living icon of Jesus’ mercy and fidelity. The priest’s mission is to bring us Jesus through his preaching and teaching, through his loving service and through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. The life of each and every priest is centered on the Eucharist. Without the priest we do not have the Eucharist. Without the Eucharist we do not have the Church.

During the Year for Priests, The Register is publishing a daily prayer calendar featuring one priest each day to help the people of the Diocese of Salina remember and show appreciation for the priests who serve us. The faces of these men reveal the real diversity that comprises our presbyterate. They are diocesan priests and religious priests; some are recently ordained and some have given nearly a lifetime of priestly service; they come from all across our diocese and from around the world. They are ordinary men with an extraordinary mission. Sharing in the exalted mission of Christ the High Priest, they are nonetheless called from ordinary families and parishes like your own.

During this Year For Priests, please pray for our priests. Pray for vocations and for our seminarians. Encourage them personally and show them your appreciation. Pray that they always may remain faithful and continue to strive for holiness inspired by the witness of St. John Vianney, universal patron of priests.

Please visit www.usccb.org/yearforpriests for more information and ideas and http://salinadiocese.org/about-us/year-for-priests to follow local activities.

Published
The Register
August 7, 2009