Mother of our Redeemer, in this era dedicated to you, with great joy we call you blessed. You believed in the Word of God the father and declared yourself His handmaid, and so, through you, the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
We salute you as Mother, our Mother, the Mother of the Church. With what great love you must have watched over the infant Church and what motherly solicitude encouraged the apostles as they committed themselves to carry on the work of Your Divine Son. Make the Church ever to be the sign and instrument of intimate union with God.
To you, our Mother, we entrust in a special way all priests. To them has been given a special sharing in the priesthood of Your Divine Son. He has chosen them to be ministers of His Word and Sacrament. Ask Him to fill them with zeal, to keep them faithful and joyful in His service, conscious of the fact that as they care for us bring glory to the father and honor to the Church.
Holy Mother, increase the ranks of our priests by inspiring our young people to be more generous in their response to serve Jesus in the priesthood and in religious life. Sustain all of us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation.
Amen
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