A Prayer for Priests

Lord Jesus, how good it is that you have given us priests who lead us in your place, proclaim your Word to us, celebrate the Eucharist and reconcile us with you and with one another! We thank you for your trust in human beings, and for wishing, in your humanity, to remain so close to us.
You yourself know best what a risk you have taken. For no man can present and hand on your greatness, your love and your fatherhood as they deserve. It is, as it were, a continuation of your self-abasement in becoming man and dying on the cross, that you chose men to lead the People of God in your name and in your Person, through a sacramental share in your priesthood.
From the beginning you knew the human limitations and the sins of those you had chosen, yet, as is always the case, those weaknesses are meant to make your greatness and your mercy more visible. We want to be grateful for these men through whom we receive your grace. We want to respect them as those who stand in your place, though we must not overrate their role, for you alone are God, you alone are the mediator, you alone the true High Priest! Let no man separate us from you: let no saint push you into the shadows – let no sinner draw us away from you!
And so we ask you for the right measure in our attitude towards our priests. Let us always look at them in faith, but also realistically. Make priests strong, wise and faithful in following you – and make us humble, ready to accept help and wise in our dealings with others. Make them strong, wise and faithful in following you – and make us humble, ready to accept help and prudent in our dealings with others. Give us holy priests who will strengthen our faith. Grant that they may be men who are true and worthy of love, so that we may trust them and be Christians with joy.
Lord Jesus, let us understand better what it means that not only priests bear a great responsibility for their communities, but that all Christians share responsibility for their brother priests. And so we ask for them the cleansing and sanctifying power of your Blood, which they so often hold in their hands when they raise the chalice of the Eucharist to heaven for us all.
Let us meet with reverence those who through ordination and office are so close to God. Yet let us also see the truth with love and call by name the moments when those responsible for your flock go astray or show human weakness or anger. Give us the courage for constructive criticism, the wisdom to recognise the right moment, a sense for helpful words and for the moderation that brings rescue, so that no one may lose faith and grace through our passive silence.
Guard us, however, from spreading negative sensation! A good mother sees the faults of her children and carries them together with them, in order to heal and to save. In the same way we do not want to close our eyes to what is unjust. We want to step in only where and only in such a way as to avoid greater harm and to help those who are in error.
Mary, good Mother of priests and of the whole Church, help us all by your example and your intercession. Amen.