yearforpriests

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

Pope Benedict XVI has called the whole Church to celebrate a Year for Priests beginning on 19th June 2009, the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

His purpose for this year is to encourage priests in their “striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends” and to highlight “the importance of the priest's role and mission in the Church and in contemporary society”.

This same year is the 150th anniversary of the death of St John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, and also the occasion of the visit to England of the relics of St Therese of Lisieux – who from her Carmelite convent showed her life-long devotion to priests by praying for them, supporting them and corresponding with them.

This website is run by the Vocations Office of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. On our main website we have a number of resources including interviews with priests. You can also read the letter from Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI and the letter from Cardinal Hummes

Bishops' Conference Resources

Find out about the visit of the Relics of St. Therese

Information about the book “Priesthood: A Life open to Christ”