The Lord Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Orders to secure the continuation of His redemptive work in the Church and, by extension, the world. The priesthood and religious life is this continuation of Christ’s redemptive work in the world.
However, priests are not ready-made. They are not products of an overnight process. Yes, God calls priests, but they are yet to be formed and prepared for this sublime responsibility. This process of formation happens in the seminary, which is particularly directed and oriented to the forming of shepherds after Jesus’ life, example, and mission.
Such a great endeavor requires all of us to pray for and support priestly vocations in the Church. One of the best ways to show this is by offering our daily prayer for priests and seminarians.
Prayer for priests and seminarians
Lord God, almighty and eternal, Your Son and our Lord Jesus Christ is our sole mediator. He is our eternal High Priest. He offers our prayers before You. He is our bridge so that we who are unworthy might one day enjoy Your eternal presence in heaven.
Lord, we thank You for the gift of the holy priesthood. You are always with us because You still call men to be Your ministers, teachers, and spiritual physicians. Thank You, God, for through the holy priesthood, we are nourished by the Word and the Sacraments.
With hearts full of gratitude, we stand before You today to express our appreciation for the gift of our seminarians who have heeded Your call to serve Your Church. We praise You for their fidelity and commitment to studying Your Word and striving to live a life of service to You.
Lord, may You form within our seminarians a heart that beats in unison with Your own and a profound, abiding love for You. We ask that You give them the grace to constantly seek Your face and do what is right. Encourage them to see how You are involved in their education and to understand that it is a gift from You.
We pray for their studies, asking the Holy Spirit to lead them in their knowledge and comprehension of Scripture and theology. We ask that they receive the education and training needed to properly serve Your people. We pray that as they strive to become greater stewards of Your Kingdom, they will be humble students who are constantly open to learning and being corrected.
We ask for Your kindness and grace to transform them as they grow spiritually. May they experience the delight of Your presence in their hearts, and may they develop an intimate relationship with you every day. We kindly ask that You surround them with a community of believers who will uplift and support them on their spiritual path.
Lord, we also pray for their emotional and physical health. We ask that You guard them against temptations, exhaustion, tension, and anxiety and provide them with the rest they require to recharge and refocus. We pray that You would give them the ability to endure any difficulties they may encounter and that they will be comforted by Your unwavering love for them.
We pray that they will be successful and effective in spreading the Gospel and serving Your people in their future ministries. May they courageously proclaim Your love and grace and inspire others to live lives of holiness, faith, and service.
We ask all these through Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Short prayer for Catholic seminarians
Lord God, we pray for our priests and seminarians. We ask for Your blessing as they serve Your people and the Church. May they be faithful and bold in sharing Your Word and ministering to those in need. We ask that You give them understanding, courage, and a great love for You and others. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Word of God
I will give you shepherds after my own heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Jeremiah 3:15 NRSVUE
You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
John 15:16 NRSVUE
Prayer to Saint Charles Borromeo for seminarians
Beloved Saint Charles Borromeo, you are the patron saint of seminarians. We come to you today to humbly ask for your prayers and intercession on behalf of our seminarians. We turn to you for direction and inspiration as a great teacher of the faith and a model of priestly sanctity.
As they continue their studies and prepare for a life of service to God’s people, we ask that you pray for our seminarians. Ask God to help them emulate your humility, commitment, and unwavering service to the Church.
As they work to become more holy and to strengthen their connection with God, we ask that you pray for and support our seminarians. May they be inspired by your example of prayer and penance and seek to follow in your footsteps as they prepare to serve God’s people.
Please pray for them before God’s throne, asking that they be given insight, comprehension, and steadfast love for Jesus. Please pray for them to have the courage to heed God’s call and the resilience to withstand any difficulties they may encounter.
We rely on your powerful intercession, Saint Charles Borromeo, and we are very grateful for your continuous prayers and support for our seminarians. As they proceed in their vocation, please direct and bless them and assist them in becoming genuine servants of Christ and his Church.
Saint Charles Borromeo, pray for us. Amen.
Further reflection
According to its etymology, a seminary is a place where God plants the seed of a priestly vocation and nurtures and directs its growth in order to eventually produce devoted pastors. As a result, the seminary gives rise to priests who are ready to dedicate their lives to the service of God and the Church.
Every candidate for the priesthood retells the tale of the Apostles’ call and the Lord Jesus Christ’s progressive transformation of them. This is now referred to as seminary formation. The purpose of the seminary is to provide the Church with ministers who will carry on Christ’s redemptive work.
In the seminary, the Lord Jesus unceasingly invites men who are to be His ministers to His Church. It is where God Himself molds and forms the candidates—so to speak, the future priests—into the live presence of Christ in the Church through the use of human instruments and circumstances.
Therefore, it is the perennial task and mission of the Church to unceasingly pray for, promote and support vocations to the priesthood. Furthermore, it is the Church’s duty to raise up for God’s flock servant-ministers who will lead them to God. In doing so, the Church adheres to the command of Jesus to “ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:38).
