Pope Francis has called for prayers for the Jubilee for Priests.
During this morning’s weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, the Pontiff said, “On Friday, June 3rd, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus which he said this year “is enriched by the Jubilee for Priests.”
“I invite everyone to pray to the Heart of Jesus for the entire month of June and to support with closeness and affection your priests so that they always reflect the image of that Heart full of merciful love,” the Pope said.
The Jubilee for Priests falls on the 160th anniversary of the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, instituted by Pope Pius IX in 1856 .
To celebrate their Jubilee in Rome, clergy and seminarians from around the world began today, the first of three days, June 1-3, of prayer and reflection with pilgrimages to the Jubilee churches of St. Salvatore in Lauro, St. Maria in Vallicella (Chiesa Nuova) and St. Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini.
According to a note from the Holy See Press Office, some 6,000 priests and seminarians “are already present for this Jubilee,” which will be comprised of various events in the Eternal City for priests to reflect and meditate together on the Word of God, adore the Eucharist, to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, and make a pilgrimage through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Thanks to the Vatican Television Center which will film the event, the public will be able to follow Pope Francis’ meditations for the clergy on June 2 on major national and international Catholic television networks and in streaming on the official Jubilee of Mercy website. Streamed video will be offered in the original Italian and with simultaneous translations in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and German.
Francis will participate in this jubilee for clergy in various ways. Tomorrow, he will offer three meditations for a spiritual retreat on the theme, “The Good Shepherd: the priest as a minister of mercy and compassion, close to his people and servant of all,” and will take part in the day’s retreat with stops in the three Papal Basilicas of Saint John Lateran, Saint Mary Major and Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls. On Friday, Pope Francis will preside over the Mass in St. Peter’s Square concluding this jubilee celebration.
