The USA Council of Serra International is hosting the annual celebration of Priesthood Sunday this weekend, Oct. 27. On that day, Catholic parishes in the United States show support for their priests with prayer, celebration and dialogue.
The last Sunday of October is designated as Priesthood Sunday, a one-day celebration of the priesthood organized by parish lay leaders and coordinated by the USA Council of Serra International.
Priesthood Sunday was established in 2003 to provide a way for Catholic communities to express appreciation for the priests who serve them, even when media attention on the priesthood is often negative.
Such a celebration is increasingly relevant in light of the declining number of priests in the U.S. Only about 4,000 of the 19,000 parishes in this country currently have more than one priest. Many priests serve two or more parishes by themselves.
The lay faithful of each parish, school or other ministry are asked to develop their own special way of marking the day and honoring both priesthood and their own priests. Special liturgies, Priesthood Sunday celebrations, and the opening of a dialogue between priests and parishioners are encouraged.
Priesthood Sunday is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of October.
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For more information:
Lay parish leaders are invited to visit www.priestsunday.org for suggested liturgies, social celebrations, reflections, and downloadable graphics, guides and posters. Requests for printed material may be directed to 888.777.6681.
