Who do YOU pray for?

.
My new parish is more correctly a "community" comprised of 3 historic churches pastored by one priest, who is alone left to preside over each Sunday Mass, as well as the weekday daily masses. Lately poor Fr. Pat has been looking like a cold has gotten the best of him, and I can't help but worry about when he will be get a bit of rest (granted, the Christmas season is over, so I hope he'll get a slight respite).

Knowing this servant and shepherd is the only priest for 3 churches lead my mind to, of course firstly, wish that I had become a priest, but more importantly, reminded me that we MUST remember to pray for our pastors each and everyday. . . . BUT DO WE?

Partly, me thinks, we tend to only pray for those we "feel" need prayer (someone sick, grieving, struggling, etc.), and forget about those who we think are spiritually above us (how we determine this, I ain't sure). Many of us might just think that they (religious) take care to pray for one another (which is true), but are our petitions of any less importance, or have any less power available to them? Even in this, I only realized that I should pray more for our religious after I noticed a coughing cleric struggling to get through mass.

Anyhow, so I just wanted to ask anyone out there to please remember to pray for our religious, from the Pope on down to yer favorite Deacon, because they do so need our prayers . . . mostly 'cause they have to deal with us (O;

O Jesus, eternal Priest,

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,

which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,

daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and

shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and

everlasting crown. Amen.
St. Therese of Lisieux

.