Support our Deacons, Priests and Religious in prayer! (Support our Clergy)
A Franciscan View by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

This Sunday (October 30, 2011), we were asked to pray for priests. So perhaps it would be a good time to discuss our clergy, be they priests, deacons and people in religious orders. Yes, they need our help, too. But most of all, they need God's help as we live in a difficult world, and they, as well as us (lay Catholics) are under constant threat.

In this kind of atmosphere of hate, still held over from these difficult pre-1990 years, our priests, deacons and religious have to survive, first in the exercise of their religion, second in the exercise of their ministry, and also as human beings. This is not a healthy atmosphere. For clergy will always have to look over their shoulders to expose dangers that can harm them in some measure. They have to be careful not to associate with people who can do them harm, and most of all, they have to observe celibacy in the only way possible - in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Further, because of the times, there has to be honesty and transparency in the lives of all who are in the Ordained Ministry of the Church, or in Religious Life, so that evil persons cannot accuse those who are trying hard to straighten out the Church. And ultimately, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit, for His assistance.

That's where prayer comes in. We, that is, the "Body of Christ," the believers -I would like to ask you to support our Deacons, Priests and Men/Women in Religious Life. Pray that they may stay strong and resolute in the Faith, and that they won't succumb to the work of the devil. This Church must seek healing, not only as individuals, but collectively. Now more than ever.

We live in difficult times, everyone has all sorts of troubles, suffering, and we are constantly under threat. As Franciscans, we have always supported our clergy, as St. Francis asks that of us, so let us continue to uphold the good and faithful servants who are our clergy. Pray for the Priests, Deacons and those in Religious Orders, as well as for those whom they serve. Pray that many souls will find Spiritual comfort and regain their trust of the parish priest. We depend on our priests for Holy Mass, the Consecration of the Sacred Species, and for giving us the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I thank the priests in my life, very much for their love and caring!

Also, stop talking about women clergy. It brings unrest in the Church, during a period that it be most unlikely that this will ever come to pass. Let us not place our energy on things that aren't part of the Church at present, but concentrate on those tenets that are ours to carry out. The Lord will not judge us, in the final judgment, on what we could have done, but on what we did. Live for the moment, sin no more for the moment, and that moment will stretch into hours, days, weeks, months, and perhaps even years.

Stop bickering within parishes, stop gossiping about each other and about the priests. Stop whining about things that are out of your control. By doing so you are adding to the problems. If you pray for priests, deacons and religious, and in a good measure for the entire Body of Christ, you are honoring God and doing His will. People who do not pray fall into sin, eventually. People who do pray, go to Holy Mass and receive the Sacraments - they will reach eternal life. Let us all strive for that blessed event. Yes, our Lord saved us during Baptism, but now we have to live the life rather than just talk about it ... prayer certainly will help you along the way, and benefit many others, besides.

God bless you!

Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Oct. 30, 2011, rev. 1/15/2024

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