Upon priestly ordination, a priest is forever changed into the person of Jesus Christ (“in persona Christi”) and given the task of continuing Christ's mission for the salvation of souls. Consequently, the priests of our Diocese are an invaluable and irreplaceable source of holiness in and throughout our Diocese, the local Church.
Though priests have been called to an incredibly divine vocation, we know that priests also remain human beings who need rest, strong relationships, mental and physical well-being, as well as spiritual and emotional nourishment, like all Catholics.
This office exists to ensure our clergy have the support needed to fulfill Christ's calling for holiness and the salvation of souls.
Spiritual Support Through Prayer and Fasting
Pastoral Care for our Shepherds
Health and Wellness Initiatives
Professional Development Resources
Supporting our priests, our Spiritual Fathers, requires the whole Diocese. We invite you to see the ways that you can practically and intentionally support our priests.
St. Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary; and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts. If we had not the Sacrament of Orders, we should not have Our Lord. Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest – always the priest. And if that soul comes to the point of death, who will raise it up, who will restore it to calmness and peace? Again the priest. You cannot recall one single blessing from God without finding, side by side with this recollection, the image of the priest. Saint John Vianney, Patron of Priests
St. Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary; and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts. If we had not the Sacrament of Orders, we should not have Our Lord. Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest – always the priest. And if that soul comes to the point of death, who will raise it up, who will restore it to calmness and peace? Again the priest. You cannot recall one single blessing from God without finding, side by side with this recollection, the image of the priest.
What tongue, human or angelic, may ever describe a power so immeasurable as that exercised by the simplest priest in Mass? Who could ever have imagined that the voice of man, which by nature hath not the power even to raise a straw from the ground, should obtain through grace a power so stupendous as to bring from Heaven to earth the Son of God?St. Leonard of Port Maurice
What tongue, human or angelic, may ever describe a power so immeasurable as that exercised by the simplest priest in Mass? Who could ever have imagined that the voice of man, which by nature hath not the power even to raise a straw from the ground, should obtain through grace a power so stupendous as to bring from Heaven to earth the Son of God?
St. Leonard of Port Maurice
The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.St. John Vianney
The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.
St. John Vianney
The worthy priest… is the living image of Christ in this world, of Christ watching, praying, preaching, catechizing, working, weeping, going from town to town, from village to village, suffering, agonizing, sacrificing Himself and dying for the souls created to His image and likeness.St. Jean Eudes
The worthy priest… is the living image of Christ in this world, of Christ watching, praying, preaching, catechizing, working, weeping, going from town to town, from village to village, suffering, agonizing, sacrificing Himself and dying for the souls created to His image and likeness.
St. Jean Eudes
The power of the priest, is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world.St. Bernardine of Sienna
The power of the priest, is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world.
St. Bernardine of Sienna
