Vatican official promotes prayer during Year for Priests

(December 12, 2009) Without a daily diet of personal prayer, Catholic priests risk falling spiritually ill and endangering the well-being of the communities they serve, a top Vatican official said. "Truly, without the vital food of prayer the priest becomes sick, the disciple does not find the strength to follow the Master, and thus dies of hunger. As a consequence his flock is scattered, and dies in its own turn," said Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, head of the Congregation for Clergy. His comments came in the latest in a series of periodic letters published by his congregation to mark the Vatican-sponsored Year for Priests, which began in June 2009 and concludes in June 2010. Cardinal Hummes encouraged priests to see themselves as shepherds who must always be strong to protect their flock. He began by quoting fourth-century theologian St. John Chrysostom, who wrote, "The devil attacks the shepherd. In fact, if by killing the sheep the flock is reduced, by instead eliminating the shepherd he will destroy the entire flock." Cardinal Hummes also encouraged Catholics to pray for their priests who he said "need to be strengthened by the prayer of the church and of every Christian." He noted that the Congregation for the Clergy sponsors a holy hour for priests at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on the first Thursday of every month.