To clear up some confusion, World Priest Day (AKA World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests) is appropriately celebrated each year on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Some places named the last weekend in September as World Priest Day instead of Priesthood Sunday, which is a day of affirmation not prayer.
The activities below are only a few ideas that you can use to lead parishioners in praying for their priest. Be creative.
- Email each major organization in your parish, asking them to pray in a special way for their priest on this day using the Prayer Card of a prayer written by Pope Benedict VI in 2008 for this day. You can download a single card or a set of 8 to print on card stock and give to parishioners at Mass.
- Make announcement at Mass- if there is a deacon, he can ask parishioners to pray for their priest virtually or in person
- Add prayer for priest in the prayers of the faithful
- Live stream a Rosary for Priests on a Facebook Live or YouTube channel
- Ask parishioners to send in Spiritual Bouquets (gift of prayer) for their priests
- Offer Holy Hour for priest
Especially now, when circumstances have our priests out of their comfort zone in a variety of ways, let us pray that the Holy Spirit will come down upon them and light their heart anew for the priesthood.