Pray for our Priests During this Storm and Always

I think we've all seen movies and TV shows where in the midst of a raging storm the captain of the ship is doing all he can to keep the ship moving forward and to avoid its capsizing. Waves are crashing over the deck and many times it's night with sheets of rain coming down and lightning periodically lighting up the frightful scene. 
    
During the time of pandemic, many priests and bishops are like this captain, they are doing the best they can with the cards they've been dealt. It's a strange and unknown situation they find themselves in. Continuing with our storm analogy, I'm sure Fr. Fred would much prefer to be drifting along the Missouri on a sunny, windless, pandemic-less day.  
    
But instead, he's in the midst of a raging pandemic storm, similar in a way to being caught in the middle of Lake Sakakawea in a small boat when a strong thunderstorm suddenly comes in. In the midst of the storm that we all find ourselves in, Fr. Fred is like the ship's captain as he continues to shepherd and protect the flock that he's responsible for.
    
Christ the King is doubly-blessed to have Fr. Nick in residence and to have Fr. Fred as our pastor. These good and Godly men are proof that God always provides. We will all eventually get safely to shore but we need to keep praying for end to the pandemic and to pray more than ever for our priests and bishops for their protection against evil and for their continued health, peace and courage.
    
The Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy are two powerful prayers found within the treasury of our Catholic prayers and devotions. Here's a suggested prayer from Cardinal John O'Connor that can be prayed today and all year long for our priests:

A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

John Cardinal O'Connor

Lord Jesus, we your people pray to You for our priests. You have given them to us for OUR needs. We pray for them in THEIR needs.

We know that You have made them priests in the likeness of your own priesthood. You have consecrated them, set them aside, annointed them, filled them with the Holy Spirit, appointed them to teach, to preach, to minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us with Your Body and Blood.

Yet we know, too, that they are one with us and share our human weaknesses. We know too that they are tempted to sin and discouragement as are we, needing to be ministered to, as do we, to be consoled and forgiven, as do we. Indeed, we thank You for choosing them from among us, so that they understand us as we understand them, suffer with us and rejoice with us, worry with us and trust with us, share our beings, our lives, our faith.

We ask that You give them this day the gift You gave Your chosen ones on the way to Emmaus: Your presence in their hearts, Your holiness in their souls, Your joy in their spirits. And let them see You face to face in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread.

We pray to You, O Lord, through Mary the mother of all priests, for Your priests and for ours. Amen.

(Please click HERE for the source of this prayer)

May God bless you and keep you,
Deacon Bob