ho speiron (The Sower)

• Vatican Site for the Year of Priests. Contains links to Pope Benedict's various talks to Priests.
• Sanctuaire du Saint Cure d'Ars Official Site of the Shrine in Ars (in French). Some limited pages in English
• ePriest A website that seeks to offer resources for Catholic Priests, dedicated to loving Christ, building the Church, and serving people.
• Catholic Culture Catholic Culture.org's website for the year of the Priest containing documents, prayers, books, and Priest saints
• Saints Who Were Priests Information about Priestly Saints gathered at the Patron Saints Index (Mainpage)
• Congregation for Clergy
• Biblia Clerus Excellent Site run by the Congregation for clergy that links Scripture texts with the commentaries and homilies of the Fathers. Also breaks it down according to Liturgical usage.
• Archdiocese of Philadelphia Priest Page
• Vocations Office - Philadelphia
• Philadelphia Vocations Blog
• Our Sunday Visitor OSV web section with free resources to help parishes celebrate the for year of Priests
• Loyola Press Year for Priest resources
• Priesthood in the Bible  Felix Just's summary of te biblical understandng of Priesthood

National Organizations for Priests

• Jesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests
• National Federation of Priests' Councils (NFPC)
• National Organization for the Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy (NOCERCC)
• Priests For Life
• Priests in Crisis A blog site is a gateway to emergency resources for faithful Catholic priests in personal crisis.
• Opus Bono Sacerdotii (work for the good of the priesthood) was founded in response to many sensitive situations with priests and religious around the world requesting unique assistance to confidential problems. These problems may encompass a whole spectrum of circumstances, however, the success in finding solutions is understanding the uniqueness of each individual and their particular needs, abilities and desires especially as it effects the extraordinary relationship between the natural and supernatural aspect of the person of the priest.
• Sacerdos Institute An international apostolic initiative of the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement dedicated to build up priests and the priestly spirit in the heart of the Church. Its network of services offers on-going integral formation, pastorally effective resources, and fraternity, within a spirit of communion with the local and universal Church.

Centers for Ongoing Formation for Clergy

• Theological Institute for Priests St. Charles Borromeo Seminary through its Religious Studies Division offers continuing education programs for priests, providing opportunities for learning and reflection. Programs are open to priests only, and interaction between lecturer and audience, as well as the benefits of fraternal gathering, are a strong aspect of the Institute.
• American College, Louvain, Belgium
• Center for Development in Ministry–Mundelein
• Congregation for the Clergy [Eng] Congregation for Clergy Website with announcements and official documents Spanish
• Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University >
• Pontifical North American College Institute
• Seton Hall

Prayers

• Priestly Prayer (USCCB-PDF eng) Spanish
• People's Prayer for Priest's (USCCB-PDF eng) Spanish
• Prayers for Vocations (USCCB) A compendium of prayers for Vocations being used in dioceses throughout the country Spanish

Events

• International Priests' Retreat in Ars, France sponsored by the Congregation for Clergy: September 27 to October 3, 2009.
• Year for Priests Clegy Conference  Rome, Jan 4-8 2010. Sponsored by the Confrernity of Catholic Clergy and the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy  
• International gathering of Priests with the with the Holy Father in St. Peter's Square on June 19, 2010.

• John Cardinal Krol Chair, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary — Lecture series on the Priesthood

  • Men of Prayer: Priests and Holiness (Msgr. Michael Magee) Thursday, February 18, 2010
  • Men of the Word: Priests and Scripture (Father Patrick Brady) Tuesday, February 23, 2010
  • Men of Faith: Priests and Church Teaching (Father Robert Pesarchick) Tuesday, March 2, 2010
  • Men of Compassion: Priests and Forgiveness (Father Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R) Tuesday, March 23, 2010
  • Men of Service: Priests and Pastoral Life (Father Anthony J. Costa) Tuesday, March 30, 2010
  • Men of Vision: Priests and Leadership (Father David Diamond) Tuesday, April 6, 2010
  Catholic University Priest Symposium (Oct 6-7, 2009) The two-day symposium will will explore the mystery of the priesthood in light of the Church’s theological and spiritual heritage and will feature talks by priests who are members of the CUA faculty, representatives of the Society of St. Sulpice and other clergy.

Statements on the Year For Priests

• Benedict XVI

• St. John Eudes (August 19th, 2009 video) General Audience
• Mary Mother of Priests (August 12,2009) General Audience
• Year For Priests (June 24, 2009) General Audience
• Opening for the Year for Priests (June 19, 2009) Homily on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and ther 150th Anniversary of the Death of St. John Marie Vianney
• Proclamation of the Year for Priests (June 18, 2009)
• Homily on the Feast of Corpus Christi (June 11, 2009 - Italian) Challenges Priest to let becoming the Eucharist be a constant desire and commitment
  
• On the occasion of the Plenary Assembly (March 16, 2009) Address by his Holiness to the Congregation for the Clergy. The theme of the Assembly is "The missionary identity of the priest in the Church as an intrinsic dimension of the exercise of the tria munera"

• Claudio Cardinal Hummes

• Year of Priests

• Fatherhood of the Bishop in Relation to Presbytyrs (Sept 13, 2008) Lecture given at the Updating Seminar for Bishops
• Indulgence The Plenary Indulgence is granted to all the faithful who are truly repentant who, in church or in chapel, devoutly attend the divine Sacrifice of Mass and offer prayers to Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest, for the priests of the Church

Popes on Priesthood (Vatican Website; Catholic Culture.org, EWTN Documents Library, Papal Encyclicals Online)

• Pius IX
  

• Amantissimi Redemptoris (May 3, 1858 - Papal Encyclicals Online) Encyclical Letter on Priests and the Care of Souls
  

• Pius X
  • Haerent Animo (August 4, 1908 - Papal Encyclicals Online) Apostolic Exhortation “To the Catholic Clergy on Priestly Sanctity” on the occasion of Pius’ own Golden Jubilee of ordination to the priesthood. In it he set forth his own vision of priestly holiness and the anguish he felt over the modernist crisis that affected so many priests.
    

• Benedict XV
  • Humani Regeneris Redemptionem (June 15, 1917 -EWTN) On Preaching the Word of God
    
• Pius XI
  • Ad Catholici Sacerdotii (Dec 20, 1935 - New Advent) Encyclical On the Catho0lic Priesthood
    
• John XXII
  • Sacerdoti Nostri Primordia (Aug 1, 1959) Encyclical "On John Vianney". Written on the 100th aniversary of the death of John Vianney (d. Aug 4, 1859) to stir up the pius zeal of priests and those whom God is caalling to a priestly vocation.
    
• Pius XII

• Menti Nostrae (Sept. 23, 1950 -EWTN) Apostolic Exhortation To The Clergy Of The Entire World On the Development of Holiness in Priestly Life
  • Cf. A Charter for Priestly Holiness (Jan 23, 2003) Rev Thomas McGovern at Christendom-Awake
    

• John Paul II

• Celibacy, A Particular Response (April 28, 1982) General Audience

• Priests: Consecrated to Christ through Celibacy (July 17, 1993) General Audience

• Priests; Sharers in the Priesthood of Christ (March 31, 1993) General audience

• Priests: Sanctifiers through the Sacraments (May 5, 1993) General Audience

• Priests; Ordained to Celebrate Mass (May 12, 1993) General Audience

• Benedict XVI

• Address to Clergy of Poland (Warsaw Cathedral, 25 May 2006) On the Occasion of Meeting with Priests during his Pastoral visit of Poland. Cited in CCE Document "On Use of Psychology in Seminaries".

Articles and Homilies

 

• Archbishop Justin Cardinal Rigali

• The Year of the Priest (June 4, 2009) Article in standard and TImes
• Priests for the Church of Philadelphia (May 14, 2009) Article in standard and Times
• Chirsm Mass (April 9, 2009) Homily for Holy Thursday, Chrism Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
• Ordination to the Priesthood (May 16, 2009) Homily for Ordination to the Priesthood at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

 

• Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap

• The Role of the Priest in Public Affairs (April 30, 2008-PDF)
  
• As Christ Loved the Church (Sept 8, 1999) A pastoral letter to the people of God of northern Colorado
  on forming tomorrow's priests.

 

• Other

• Fulfilled in Your Hearing (USCCB - 1982-2002^17thed.) This document examines the principal ingredients for effective homilies: the assembly, preacher, homily, and homiletic method.

• The Priesthood of the Old Covenant - C.C. (November 24, 1998) [English, Spanish]

• Priesthood in the New Testament - C.C. (November 24, 1998) [English, French, Spanish]

• Priests and confession - C.C. (November 24, 1998) [English, French]

• The Priest and the Bishop - C.C. (November 23, 1998) [English, Spanish]

• The blessed Virgin Mary in the life and ministry of the priest ( July 9, 1997) [English]

• The necessity of continuing formation for the priest (June 18, 1996) [English, French]

• The image of the priest in the decree Presbyterorum Ordinis (October 23, 1995)
  [English]

Celibacy

1. Pius XII
   
   • Sacra Virginatus (March 25, 1954) Encyclical on Consecrated Virginity
     
2. Paul VI
   • Sacerdotalis coelibatus (June 24, 1967) Encyclical on the Celibacy of Priests
   • Cf. 40th Anniversary of Pope Paul VI's Encyclical Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (March 14, 2007) Card. Cláudio Hummes, O.F.M.
3. John Paul II
   • Marriage and Celibacy in the Light of the Resurrection of the Body (Nov 11, 1981) General Audience
   • Virginity or Celibacy for the Sake of the Kingdom (March 10, 1982) ) General Audience
   • The Vocation to Continence in This Earthly Life (March 17, 1982) General Audience
   • Continence for the Sake of the Kingdom Meant to Have Spiritual Fulfillment (March 24, 1982) General Audience
   • The Effective and Privileged Way of Continence (March 31, 1982) General Audience
   • The Superiority of Continence Does Not Devalue Marriage (April 7, 1982) General Audience
   • Marriage and Continence Complement Each Other (April 14, 1982) General Audience
   • The Value of Continence Is Found in Love (April 21, 1982) General Audience
   • Celibacy Is a Particular Response to the Love of the Divine Spouse (April 28, 1982) General Audience
   • Celibacy for the Kingdom Affirms Marriage (May 5, 1982) General Audience
   • Voluntary Continence Derives From a Counsel, Not From a Command (June 23, 1982) General Audience
   • The Unmarried Person Is Anxious to Please the Lord (June 30, 1982) General Audience
   • Everyone Has His Own Gift from God, Suited to His Vocation (July 7, 1982) General Audience
   • The Kingdom of God, Not the World, Is Man's Eternal Destiny (July 14, 1982) General Audience
   • Mystery of the Body's Redemption Basis of Teaching on Marriage and Voluntary Continence (July 21, 1982) General Audience
   • The Church is committed to Priestly Celibacy (July 14, 1993) General Audience
   • Chastity for the sake of the Kingdom (1995) General Audience
     
   • Importance of Women in the life of the Priest (March, 1995) Holy Thursday Letter to Priests

Fishers of Men (Dottube-Diocese of Trenton)

Documents Concerning Priestly Formation

Conciliar Documents (Vatican II):

• Optatum totius (1965) Decree on Priestly Training

• Presbyterorum ordinis () (1965) Decree on the Ministry and life of Priests

Papal Documents:

• Pope John Paul II

• Pastores dabo vobis (1992) Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Formation of Priests

• Veritatis splendor (1993) Encyclica Letter The Splendor of Truth

• Ordinatio sacerdotalis (1994) Apostolic Letter on the Reservation of Priestly ordination to Men

• Vita consacrata (1996) Post-Synodal Letter on the Consecrated Life and its Mission in the Church and in the World

Other Documents of the Holy See:

• In ecclesiam futurorum (Instruction On Liturgical Formation in Seminaries - 1979) Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education.

• Guide to the Training of Future Priests concerning the Instruments of Social Communication. (1986) Congregation for Catholic Education.

• The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation. (1989) Congregation for Catholic Education.

• Directives on Formation in Religious Institutes. (1990) Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

• Instruction to the Episcopal Conferences on the Admission to Seminary of Candidates Coming from Other Seminaries or Religious Families. (1996) Congregation for Catholic Education.

• Circular Letter to the Most Reverend Diocesan Bishops and other Ordinaries with Canonical Faculties to Admit to Sacred Orders concerning: Scrutinies regarding the Suitability of Candidates for Orders. (1997) Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

• Ecclesiae de mysterion (On Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests - 1997) Interdicasterial Instruction

• Inter-Institute Collaboration for Formation. (1999) Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

• Starting Afresh from Christ: A Renewed Commitment to the Consecrated Life in the New Millennium. (2002) Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

• Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders. (2006) Congregation for Catholic Education.
• Training for Priestly Celibacy (Sept. 4, 2007) Jose Saraiva Martins Titular Archbishop of Turbumica Secretary of the Congregation for Education
• Apostolic Visitation of Seminaries: Final Report (Dec 15, 2008) COngregation for Catholic Education. On the USCCB Website.

• Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood (June 29, 2008) Congregation for Catholic Education

• Program of Priestly Formation USCCB 5th ed.

For comments, suggestions, or broken links contact

FrPatrickBrady@hospeiron.com