Spiritual Motherhood for Priests: Praying for the Protection and Sanctification of Our Priests
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The group prays a special Rosary together.
uring the Rite of Ordination, the bishop anoints the hands of the future priest and says, “The Father anointed our Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the Christian people and to offer sacrifice to God.” When priests are ordained, they are taking on a huge responsibility. They face a life full of joy, but it doesn’t come without troubles and temptations. We need priests to lead lay people in the Catholic faith, so we must keep our priests in our prayers. In March 2009, Sandy Pickett took on this responsibility to pray for priests when she was consecrated with 30 other women of the Diocese of Tulsa under the apostolate of the Spiritual Motherhood for Priests. This is a lifelong commitment to pray and offer sacrifices for an anonymous priest from the diocese. At the time, this was coordinated through the Diocese of Tulsa. At her consecration, Sandy received a medal inscribed with the last part of the blessing of a priest’s hands, “Receive the power to offer sacrifice unto God.”
The Spiritual Motherhood group gathers every Thursday.
This apostolate was founded by an Ohio woman named Mary Anne Gronotte. In 2007, the Congregation of the Clergy approved the Spiritual Motherhood for Priests and invited laywomen to adopt priests as their sons and pray for them, especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Sandy and the other women were led through formation for this apostolate by Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby, OSB. “Spiritual Motherhood is offering to God our lives, prayers, and sacrifices for the protection and sanctification of priests,” Sandy says. Over time, other women at the parish have joined Sandy to pray each Thursday morning following daily Mass. They gather at about 7:30 a.m. Although there is no longer a formation program for Spiritual Motherhood in the diocese, all are welcome to come pray a special Rosary, which was written by Fr. Kirby. The Rosary reflections cover the life of Christ as priest and victim. continued on back cover
“Although I don’t know who the priest is, God knows. I don’t know the impact those prayers have had, but God knows.” — SANDY PICKETT 7
