By Jackie Saretsky, Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon

The idea of spiritual adoption of priests, where a woman adopts a certain priest as her spiritual “son” for whom she promises to pray, is not a new one. For centuries, nuns, living with the great blessing of Eucharistic Adoration continuously available to them, have offered their prayers and sacrifices specifically for the needs of priests.

But the role of spiritual motherhood is no longer reserved for nuns alone. On Dec 8, 2007, the Congregation of the Clergy published a document called Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity, approved by Pope Benedict XVI, invited laywomen to adopt priests as their spiritual sons and to pray for them constantly, particularly before the Blessed Sacrament.

Spiritual maternity is a hidden vocation within a vocation for women in every state of life – single, married, lay or consecrated religious – who recognize a call to offer prayer and sacrifices to strengthen and protect priests so they may grow in holiness. Enlivened and guided by the Holy Spirit, we strive to imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her special maternity for each priest.

Spiritual Motherhood of Priests – a new Apostolate in our diocese

Website: LINK

Several dioceses around the world have begun this Apostolate. Each has its specific commitments. Those women in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon who feel called to become a Spiritual Mother and adopt a priest as her “priest-son” will have five simple commitments.

1. Eucharistic Adoration, once a week. This weekly hour of Eucharistic Adoration guides the Spiritual Motherhood of Priests program worldwide and is the women’s promise to pray for their priest before the Blessed Sacrament. If you already commit a specific time for Adoration, no need to add another.
2. Three short prayers each day for your Priest-Son.Y ou will receive a prayer booklet in your package as an option for you to use.
3. It is recommended to receive the Sacrament of Confession frequently.
4. Perhaps the most challenging commitment to keep is anonymity: the women must remain anonymous to their priest-son. With the example of Jesus’ mother Mary, who “kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart,” the women are discouraged from divulging to each other, especially their priest-sons, for whom they are praying.
5. The fifth commitment requires the women to promise to pray for their priest-son for the rest of their lives. The women in the Spiritual Motherhood of Priests Apostolate enter into a permanent, life-long relationship that does not end even when their priest passes away; his spiritual mother will continue to pray for his soul as long as she lives.

Commissioning Ceremony – Each Spiritual Mother will attend a commissioning ceremony within the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. On this occasion, each spiritual mother will receive a prayer packet that includes a card with the name of her priest-son. After which, each priest will receive a card stating they are “adopted.” We would love to have all of our priests adopted and covered in prayer, so prayerfully consider becoming a Spiritual Mother of Priests.

A summary from Abiding Together Podcast Season 9, Episode 12  – Book Study – This Present Paradise by Claire Dwyer

Precisely because the Eucharist is the source and the summit of our faith, we must pray for our priests. It is easy to be critical of them, but our first posture has to be to pray and guard them. If men stop saying yes or men leave the priesthood, the world ceases to exist as we know it.

Have priests and seminarians ever needed our prayers more? Have these men in the front lines ever needed spiritual backup as they do now? Have they ever faced such cultural hostility, pressures from within and without the church, constant temptation from the enemy of souls who seeks to distort the image of Christ in the priest? It’s our job to beg down graces on these men, to preserve their vocations, to multiply the fruits of their labour and to strengthen their resolve and call them to greatness. I recently heard a young priest answer the question, “What do priests need today?” And he answered, “We don’t need comfort; we need courage.” Teresa of Avila says, “Behind each priest, there is a demon fighting for his fall.” Let’s start praying and fasting for them, for they are men who have real stories and real lives and real brokenness and real beauty. The most important thing we can do is pray for them because they are in Persona Christi on earth. They love in a way that nobody else can love, and without them, the world as we know it ceases to exist.

There is a spiritual attack upon priests, and the enemy seeking their destruction knows who they are. We are all called to responsibility and holiness. There is a desire to pray, see, and call out the beauty in these vocations. I think women have a responsibility to be true life-givers in this situation to come forth with that for our priests. If you don’t know how to pray for your priest, entrust him to the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Just say, Jesus and Mary, I offer my priest to you. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what he needs. Pray a rosary for him, offer your Eucharist, and place him in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Lord is doing something new, and I am convinced that a resurgence of a maternal feminine genius is needed to come into the church the likes of which we have never seen before.

Ways you can be involved:

1. Become a Spiritual Mother and adopt a priest-son
2. Pray daily for priests and vocations (individual prayer package)
3. Organize Holy Hours for Priests in your parish
4. Offer a Rosary for Priests

If you feel called to become a Spiritual Mother or would like more information about this Apostolate, please contact Jacqueline Saretsky at smop@rcdos.ca  or call 306-659-5839.

 

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