Traditional & Catholic Devotions

Prayer For Priests St. Therese

When St Thérèse of Lisieux was examined before entering the Carmelite convent at fifteen, she explained why she wanted to be a nun: “I came to save souls and especially to pray for priests.” She had seen, on a pilgrimage to Rome, that priests were ordinary men with weaknesses like anyone else, and she decided they needed prayer more than most.

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In her last years she was given two “spiritual brothers” to pray for: Fr Maurice Bellière, a struggling seminarian, and Fr Adolphe Roulland, a missionary in China. Her letters to them are among her most beautiful writings. She died in 1897 at twenty-four and is patron of missions alongside St Francis Xavier.

Historical Context

Saint: St Thérèse of Lisieux, 1873-1897, feast 1 October

Doctor of the Church: 1997

Spiritual brothers: Fr Maurice Bellière, Fr Adolphe Roulland

The prayer below has been printed on holy cards for generations under St Thérèse’s name. It isn’t found in her own writings, but it expresses her love for priests exactly, and it’s still one of the most popular prayers for priests in the world.

O Jesus, Eternal Priest

O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let your holy love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion.
Bless their labours with abundant fruit,
and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here,
and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown.
Amen.

For My Parish Priest

Lord, bless Father (name).
He’s tired more often than we know.
Give him rest, good friends and joy in his ministry.
St Thérèse, pray for him.
Amen.

For Priests Who Are Struggling

Lord, hold up priests who are lonely, discouraged or tempted.
Bring them back to their first love.
Amen.

Best Times for This Prayer

On Thursdays, the day of the institution of the priesthood.
On 1 October, St Thérèse’s feast.
On your priest’s ordination anniversary.

Scripture Connection

“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” — Matthew 9:37-38

Jesus didn’t only tell his disciples to work. He told them to pray for workers. St Thérèse took that instruction as her life’s mission.

Related prayers

For ordinations, see the Prayer for Ordination. For deacons, the Deacon Prayer. For another Carmelite, the St Teresa of Avila Prayer.

More traditional & catholic devotions prayers

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About Stephen S. Griffin

Stephen S. Griffin is the pen name of the person who runs Guided by Prayer, a reference library of prayers. How the prayers are written and sourced.