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Désiré-Joseph Cardinal Mercier (1851-1926) was Archbishop of Malines, Belgium from 1906 until his death. Besides the heroic leadership he demonstrated during World War I, Cardinal Mercier hosted the famous Catholic-Anglican dialogue known as the Malines Conversations, and obtained the establishment of the liturgical feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces with its proper Mass and Office. His spiritual mentor was Blessed Dom Columba Marmion.

Once, when someone asked Cardinal Mercier how much time what ought to spend on prayer, he replied: Il faut donner à l'oraison autant de temps que l'on peut -- One must give to prayer as much time as one can.

To someone else, he said: Ce n'est qu'après trois ou quatre heures de prière que viennent les grandes lumières, -- It is only after three or four hours of prayer that the great lights come

This evening here in Knock, it was very humbling, and an immense joy to hear thirty or more priests from various parts of Ireland pray together the Act of Adoration for Priests with which we begin our time of adoration in the monastery each day.

Act of Adoration for Priests

Lord Jesus Christ, Priest and Victim,
behold, I kneel before Thy Eucharistic Face
on behalf of all Thy priests,
and especially those priests of Thine,
who at this moment are most in need
of Thy grace.
(N. and N.)
For them and in their place,
allow me to remain,
adoring and full of confidence,
close to Thy Open Heart,
hidden in this, the Sacrament of Thy Love.

Through the Maternal and Immaculate
Heart of Mary,
our Advocate and the Mediatrix of All Graces,
pour forth upon all the priests of Thy Church
that torrent of mercy that ever flows
from Thy pierced side:
to purify and heal them,
to refresh and sanctify them,
and, at the hour of their death,
to make them worthy of joining Thee
before the Father in the heavenly sanctuary
beyond the veil (Hb 6:19)
where Thou art always living
to make intercession
for us (Hb 7:25). Amen.

Eucharistic Face of Jesus, sanctify Thy priests!

Cardinal Mercier on Prayer

On behalf of all Thy priests