Stay informed with the latest news of the day. Subscribe for FREE today!

Bishop Strickland’s Second Letter to His Brother Priests

Articles | December 22, 2023 | by Catholics for Catholics

December 21, 2023

Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church

My Dear Brother Priests,

I pray that the last few remaining days of Advent are full of blessings as you transition from the joyful season of Advent to the glorious season of Christmas. Having been a pastor for many years, I know all too well the challenges you and the faithful will experience as you make the quick change from Advent to Christmas in the space of a few hours. It can be dizzying, but I always found it uplifting to see the same faithful souls return for another liturgy, and I enjoyed laughing with them as we all wondered, “now, which liturgical celebration are we here for this time?” Although the 4th week of Advent 2023 will be very short, let us pray that we are still prepared for the Nativity of the Lord.

In my previous letter, I made a plea to all priests to become Marian priests, but I suspect we each have different ideas about how to become a Marian priest, and many probably wonder what this means for our priestly journey. First, I believe it means that we must intentionally invite and include Mary in our daily journey so that we can eventually come to fully understand our role as priests. Our Lord understood the importance of His Mother’s constant presence in His life, and He shares the gift of her presence with us. Scripture makes this very clear. As Jesus spoke from His Cross to Mary and the beloved disciple, John, He speaks to us, His ordained priests. We are to dedicate our lives to serving others with His Mother by our side. Her role in our priestly lives opens a rich dimension of what it means to be a priest of Jesus Christ.

Additionally, a Marian priest must be aware of Mary’s presence at the altar when offering the sacrifice of the Mass. She was present when He breathed His last breath as He died on the cross, and she is with us every time the Mass is celebrated. Our Marian focus, as priests, helps us to stay connected to the supernatural truth we celebrate at the sacrificial altar of Jesus Christ. With her help, we can overcome the challenge of losing the sense of the sacred and the supernatural.

Lastly, priests who have a Marian focus are drawn closer to Christ, and as priests, the closer the better, for it is Christ who teaches us the true meaning of our priesthood. Priests sacrifice themselves and cling to the Church in service to God’s people, much like spouses sacrifice themselves and cling to each other for the good of the other. Our work is directed towards the salvation of souls. I must admit my focus, over the years, has not always been clear, but as my personal devotion to Mary has developed, the greatest blessings have been a heightened awareness of her presence at the altar and a more profound humility in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. I believe seeking to be Marian priests is simply entering more deeply into what our priesthood truly means.

My dear brothers, as we go forward, may we rest in Our Mother who is the advocate of priests. She will hold us close, and she will adopt us as her sons, as she did St. John. She will draw us into the radiance of her Son and there, by the intercession of Our Mother’s Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, we will be a consoler of Christ’s Sacred Heart. As we His priests, in His presence, offer adoration and reparation for His Bride, the Church, there will be a renewal of holiness within our own lives and within His Church.

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, your priestly sons.

Bishop Joseph E. Strickland

Click here to read the letter on BishopStrickland.com.

 

GET UPDATES ON THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE FROM A CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE.

Click here to sign-up and stay in the loop.

Catholics for Catholics is moving hearts and minds for Jesus Christ and His Church—and inspiring a new wave of Catholicism and love of America. Use the form below to STAY CONNECTED with the fastest-growing Catholic movement across the United States.

 

 

Support Our Mission

We're inspiring a new wave of Catholicism and love of country. We are restoring what it means to say “I’m Catholic” in the public square. We are changing the nation and shaping a more holy and moral future for America!

Support our mission to reclaim our country’s Christian roots and its guiding documents: The Bible and Constitution.
Donate Today