Today the universal Church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. For Card Oswald Gracias, " It is essential, that we work out our sanctification through our time of personal prayer, celebration of the Eucharist and daily Rosary.”
Mumbai (AsiaNews) – On the feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Catholic Church celebrated World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra (Mumbai) joined the Global Rosary Relay, starting at 6 pm today, local time (noon GMT).
From the Vatican, where he is on a visit, the Archbishop of Mumbai Card Oswald Gracias sent a message. "Each one of us,” he writes, is “called to be good Shepherds to all people.”
The Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests is an initiative launched in 2009 by Marion Mulhall, founder of the World Priest Global Apostolate.
She was “approached Card Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, for the participation of the Archdiocese of Bombay,” said Mgr John Rodrigues, rector of the basilica. “His Eminence assigned the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra, Mumbai, Archdiocese of Bombay.”
Today's prayer was announced last Sunday in all the Masses celebrated in the diocese. This is why hundreds of people are expected, religious, laity and families. At the end of the Rosary, there will be a Holy Hour of Reparation.
“Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart,” writes Card Gracias, “and we pray for our own Sanctification, in imitation of the Sacred Heart.” Let us begin our “by coming closer to Jesus, begging pardon for our sins, and trying to be as close imitators of the Lord Jesus as we can be.”
“Today at the Global Rosary Relay, we pray for all priests, our own sanctification and the sanctification of all priests of the Archdiocese of Bombay, the Church in India and the Universal Church.”
According to the archbishop, "It is essential, that we work out our sanctification through our time of personal prayer, celebration of the Eucharist and daily Rosary.” Let us “also work out our sanctification through our preaching through our life and also through our Service.” Let us “work out our Sanctification, our Dedicated Ministry and also our Apostolates, our service to the people, our charitable work.”