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Came across this on our diocesan website today - I saw Leonardo Defilippis perform The Gospel of John awhile back at a nearby parish church - it was awesome! It was a word-for-word recitation of the Gospel of John, with him doing costume changes and 'becoming' various people in the Gospel. It just bowled me over - I thought I'd pass along the info that he's now touring as Vianney. (I'm not connected in any way to the production - it was just amazing and I expect the new production will be also)

On Praying for Priests November 25th, 2009 by Br. Innocent Smith, O.P. One of the decisive moments in the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux was when she realized that priests could sin. As a fourteen-year-old girl, Thérèse had a great desire to enter the Carmelite monastery at Lisieux where several of her sisters were already nuns. The local bishop, despite her pleadings, was cautious about allowing such a young girl to enter religious life. Nevertheless, he encouraged her to take part in a pilgrimage to Rome to strengthen her vocation. Near the end of her life, Thérèse reflected on...

Health Care Council Letter to Priests "A Priest at the Bedside of a Sick Person Represents Christ" VATICAN CITY, OCT. 9, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is the letter to priests sent Oct. 1 by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, on the occasion of the Year for Priests. * * * Dear Sick and Suffering Brothers and Sisters,Venerable Brother Bishops and Priests responsible for pastoral care for the sick,Esteemed Associations of the Sick,All those who Provide Generous Service to the Sick and the Suffering, We are in the full unfolding of the Year for Priests...

Do You Appreciate Your Priest? Spanish Bishop Composes Test PALENCIA, Spain, SEPT. 18, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Year for Priests isn't just an internal celebration among the clergy, but rather an opportunity for all the faithful to assess their appreciation for the priesthood, says Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Palencia. "Do we appreciate the priesthood and love our priests?" the bishop asked in a posting on the Web site of his dioceses. To answer this question, the bishop composed -- "with a bit of humor" -- the following test titled "Priestly Appreciation." The test is complete with instructions to evaluate your answers...

Christ for Us: The Year for Priests September 1st, 2009 by Rachel Watkins The Year of St. Paul has come and gone and now we are just getting started with the Year for Priests. In announcing this year to the bishops, the Holy Father wrote, “Precisely to encourage priests in this striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends, I have decided to establish a special "Year for Priests" that will begin on 19 June and last until 19 June 2010. In fact, it is the 150th anniversary of the death of the Holy...

The Priesthood — A Priceless Gift July 1st, 2009 by Gary Zimak On June 19, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI commemorated the official start of “The Year Of The Priest”. This year is dedicated to increasing “spiritual perfection” in priests, but it is also a time for the both the clergy and laity to reflect on the importance of the priesthood. In order to better appreciate the Catholic priesthood, let’s look at its origin, purpose and impact on our lives.The Catholic priesthood has its roots in the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The great Jesuit theologian, Fr. John Hardon, observed that...

Spiritual Mothers of Priests: Your Questions By Father Mark on July 26, 2009 1:16 PM | Answering Your QuestionsI have been receiving so many requests concerning the call to spiritual motherhood for priests that I am unable to answer them all in a timely fashion. For the moment I am still alone, following the monastic horarium and devoting the greater part of the day to Holy Mass, the Divine Office, and Eucharistic Adoration. After prayer, I must give priority to welcoming the priests, deacons, and deacon candidates who come seeking spiritual support. The promotion of spiritual motherhood is intrinsically related...

Pope's Address at Audience With New Archbishops "Carry Deeply in Your Hearts Your Priests" VATICAN CITY, JULY 13, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered June 30 upon receiving the 34 archbishops on whom he had conferred the pallium the previous day. The prelates were accompanied by their relatives, friends and diocesan faithful. * * * Dear Brothers in the Episcopate, Dear Brothers and Sisters, After the celebrations for the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, it is a real pleasure for me to meet all of you, Metropolitan Archbishops who received...

No Matter What, He Always "Acts Like a Priest" University President Speaks on Divine Providence By Father David M. O'Connell, CM WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- I wanted to be a priest for as long as I can remember. I think it was my pastor's visits to my dying grandmother, in particular, that first attracted me. He was so kind to her and so gentle. He brought her holy Communion and what we called then the sacrament of "extreme unction" during her final illness. The whole aura surrounding his visits, the mysterious sound of the Latin prayers, and the...

What Can I Do For the Year of the Priest? By Father Mark on June 25, 2009 11:42 AM | The Schola Cantorum of Priests of the Diocese of Tulsa 1. You can ask your Parish Priest to offer the Votive Mass of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest on the First Thursday of the Month. Suggest that he use the parish bulletin and the Sunday homily to invite the faithful to participate in this monthly Mass for the sanctification of all priests.2. Study the Holy Father's Letter for the Year of Priests in a small group. Make copies. Mark them...

There is a beautiful The Rosary for the Year of the Priest posted at this link, but I do not have the wherewithall to put it on the web. http://usccb.org/yearforpriests/pdf/Rosary%20for%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Priest%20Print%20Spread.pdf

Pope Notes His Goal for Year for Priests Reflects on Priorities for Ministry VATICAN CITY, JUNE 24, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A priest is a slave of Christ, who himself became a slave when he took on human nature, says Benedict XVI. The Pope today reflected on the role of the priest and his call to conform himself with Christ during the general audience held in St. Peter's Square. He dedicated his reflection to the Year for Priests, which he inaugurated Friday. The Holy Father noted how St. John Vianney, patron of priests and model for this jubilee year, was identified with...

Curé d'Ars: Model Priest Confessor Knew the Importance of the Basics By Karna Swanson NEW YORK, JUNE 19, 2009 (Zenit.org).- After more than 2,000 years of existence, there isn't much the Church hasn't addressed, faced or witnessed. Granted, times change. New challenges continually present themselves. Progress is made. And while the Church continually works to keep step with the twists and turns of history, it sometimes breaks step and simply returns to the basics. This is what Benedict XVI did recently when he declared a yearlong celebration of one of the most basic and fundamental elements of the Catholic Church:...

ZENIT Launches Column on Priesthood NEW YORK, JUNE 19, 2009 (Zenit.org).- On the occasion of the Year for Priests, which begins today, ZENIT is launching a new column dedicated to the priesthood titled "God's Men." The column begins with a look at the exemplary life and writings of St. John Mary Vianney, the patron of parish priests. The article is titled "Curé d'Ars: Model Priest." During the year, ZENIT will invite a different priest, bishop or cardinal to reflect on the priesthood, and to share his story of what it means to be a priest. Please join us in celebrating...

Cardinal Rigali on the Year for Priests "Our Holy Father … Knows the Importance of Holiness" PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, JUNE 13, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a reflection by Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia and chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-life Activities, regarding the upcoming Year for Priests. The article was originally presented June 4 in the archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic Standard and Times.* * *Pope Benedict XVI has declared a "Year of the Priest," which will begin on June 19. Since this will be a time of special prayer by and for our priests, this week we will...

Church Being Given Chance to Rediscover Priesthood US Bishops' Leader Reflects on Heart of Ministry CHICAGO, JUNE 10, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Though the priesthood has recently undergone a "purification," the Church is being given an opportunity to rediscover what its all about, says the president of the U.S. episcopal conference. Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago, affirmed this in his column this week for the archdiocesan newspaper, Catholic New World. He dedicated the article to the Year for Priests, called by Benedict XVI for June 19 - June 11, 2010. Noting some of the problems facing the world -- issues ranging...

The Priesthood is the Love of the Heart of Jesus By Father Mark on June 18, 2009 11:14 AM | LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI PROCLAIMING A YEAR FOR PRIESTS ON THE 150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE "DIES NATALIS" OF THE CURÉ OF ARS Dear Brother Priests,On the forthcoming Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday 19 June 2009 - a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of the clergy -, I have decided to inaugurate a "Year for Priests" in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the "dies natalis" of John Mary Vianney, the...

Year of the Priest Pope Benedict XVI has designated June 19, 2009 through June 19, 2010 as the Year for Priests. This year-long celebration begins on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a day on which we pray for the sanctification of all priests. The Holy Father has likewise declared St. John Vianney the Universal Patron of All Priests on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the saint’s death. The USCCB recently developed a website to commemorate this special year. http://www.usccb.org/yearforpriests/index.shtml  On this website you will find Pope Benedict’s message and the announcement of the plenary indulgence...