The decree was made public today and signed by Cardinal James Francis Stafford and Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, respectively penitentiary major and regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
The Year for Priests marks the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean Marie Vianney, also knows as the Curé de Ars.
The decree noted that Benedict XVI will preside at the opening liturgy June 19, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, "a day of priestly sanctification." He will celebrate vespers before the relics of the saint, brought to Rome for the occasion by the bishop of the French Diocese of Belley-Ars.
The Year will end in St. Peter's Square, in the presence of priests from all over the world "who will renew their faithfulness to Christ and their bonds of fraternity."
For priests, the plenary indulgence can be gained by praying lauds or vespers before the Blessed Sacrament exposed to public adoration or in the tabernacle. They must also "offer themselves with a ready and generous heart for the celebration of the sacraments, especially the sacrament of penance."
The plenary indulgence, which under current norms must be accompanied by sacramental confession, the Eucharist and praying for the intentions of the Pope, can also by applied to deceased priests.
Priests are granted a partial indulgence, also applicable to deceased priests, every time they "devotedly recite the prayers duly approved to lead a saintly life and to carry out the duties entrusted to them."
For the faithful, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the opening and closing days of the Year for Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.
To obtain the indulgence the faithful must attend Mass in an oratory or Church and offer prayers to "Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mould them to his heart."
The conditions for the faithful for earning a plenary indulgence are to have gone to confession and prayed for the intentions of the Pope.
The elderly, the sick, and all those who for any legitimate reason are unable to leave their homes may obtain the plenary indulgence if, with the intention of observing the usual three conditions as soon as they can, "on the days concerned, they pray for the sanctification of priests and offer their sickness and suffering to God through Mary, Queen of the Apostles."
A partial indulgence is offered to the faithful when they repeat five times the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, or any other duly approved prayer "in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to ask that priests maintain purity and sanctity of life."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Plenary Indulgence Offered for Year for Priests
Plenary Indulgence Offered for Year for Priests
Jubilee Marks 150 Years Since Death of Curé de Ars
VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican is offering a plenary indulgence for all faithful on the occasion of the Year for Priests, which is set to begin June 19 and last one year.ZENIT - Plenary Indulgence Offered for Year for Priests
Another blessing to avail and enjoy! =)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Last Sunday July 12, 2009, we had schedules in both the provincial and city jails of Batangas. On both venues we have found that the presence of Jesus brought so much compassion and life to people who are close to helpless and close to forgotten. In the first jail, I was observing a rather 'involved" inmate as we prepared for the testimony. He attended to the things we needed and the small stage acting as their altar or capilla like it were his own. I got acquainted with Brother Camillo who shared with us that he wouldve been released earlier had the judges handling his case not retired. He was content caring for their community inside, caring for their sick, attending to their religious activities, doing handicrafts and making good use of his time- despite as he said "kahit matagal na akong walang bisita" (its been a long time since Ive had a visitor). As he smiled at us and as I moved to assure him, he quickly added that he has received so many answered prayers and he believes the Divine Mercy will yet answer his prayers today. When I asked him if he didnt mind me asking what he was in jail for, he humbly replied it was for murder, one that he says he did not commit. Despite his circumstances, the smile in his face was very sincere. He was very real and his trust in God was more than reassuring. It was heartbreaking and I found myself praying much that he will be able to find solace in his suffering and that one day he will find himself a home outside the confines of those prison walls- in Gods merciful time. In the city jail which we found to be located in a rather remote place in the City- we found short of 200 inmates and some visiting families. In one of the enclosed facilities, I was watching an inmate flocked by his daughter and wife. He was brandishing a small wooden house which he crafted as part of their livelihood program. It was beautiful. I wouldve bought it for my daughter but then I overheard him say, "Ito ang dream house ko! (this is my dream house!) and so, I decided against it. If such gave him a symbol of hope and life beyond whatever error he was in jail for, then he should be all means keep it to remind him to keep his dreams alive. There is indeed life behind those walls- 565 lives in the provincial jail and 178 in the city jail- all serving man's imperfect justice, but having been made equal in God's eyes, are just as entitled to redemption and mercy. When I joined the jail schedule last Sunday, in my mind I was bringing them something- the message of the Divine Mercy through Stanley's life testimony. The irony of it is, God was already there. He never left them and was just waiting for them to embrace His mercy. In the end, I took home with me much more than I sought to give. God is too good. To those of us who are out here and free, may we always have the grace to choose and use of our freewill out of love for God.
Yesterday we concluded our June-July 2009 Divine Mercy mission in Luzon which covered the areas of Manila, Lucena, Quezon, Mindoro, Cavite and Batangas for most part. We will be posting the pictures up soon so you can share our experience with us. With this mission came a lot of graces and gifts, highlights of which included the grace of being able to visit our brothers and sisters in prison and a community in Lian, Batangas who has been longing to have mass celebrated for them. They were gifted no less than the holy sacrament of the mass on the feast of the Sacred Heart. We were blessed to have been accompanied by Fr. Jose Rizal Santos who made mass and confession possible to many.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Praises to the Divine Mercy
Praises to the Divine Mercy
THE LOVE OF GOD is the flower — Mercy the fruit. Let the doubting soul read these considerations on Divine Mercy and become trusting:
Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, fountain gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, in the founding of the Holy Church, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, crown of all God’s handiwork, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, I trust in You
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I trust in You
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
"O incomprehensible and Limitless Mercy Divine, Who can extol and adore You worthily? Supreme attribute of Almighty God,You are the sweet hope for sinful man. Into one hymn yourselves unite, stars, earth and sea, and in one accord, thankfully and fervently sing of the incomprehensible Divine Mercy" (Diary # 951).