Photo above: Priests and laity of the diocese gathered around Bishop Daly at the altar during the Chrism Mass in 2022.
These tips are brought to you by the Serra Club of Spokane.
Priesthood Sunday is a national day to show priests that they are special and appreciated. This year it takes place on September 25. The Serra Club of Spokane would like to share some ideas for how parishes and parishioners can express their appreciation for their priests. While most of these ideas are geared for parish-level organization, we think individuals and households can find inspiration in them
SHARE A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS: Here is a suggested prayer that can be said on Priesthood Sunday.
O Heavenly Father, on this Priesthood Sunday, hear our humble prayers on behalf of Fr. _______ and all priests who serve our parish, past, present, and future. We thank you for their selfless ministry. Relying on your almighty power, and believing in Christ who called them to share in His priesthood, may they devote themselves to their ministry with complete trust. Strengthen them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and help them to serve with joy. Through them, may your Word be proclaimed and may the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, be faithfully administered and received. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope, and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly life. Amen.
Parishes can also consider producing prayer cards with this prayer to be distributed to parishioners. An image that can be printed on the back of the prayer card is available here.
USE SPECIAL PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL: For the Masses for September 25, it would be appropriate to use special intercessions that honor priests. Some suggestions are included here.
OFFER A SPIRITUAL BOUQUET: A spiritual bouquet is a tangible representation of prayers said on behalf of someone — in this case, for our priests! You can print out and use the spiritual bouquet offering chart here. Then you can present it to your priest for Priesthood Sunday. If this is done in a parish, we suggest announcing in the bulletin where the sign-up sheet can be found and calling attention to it in the Mass announcements. Perhaps you can post it on a bulletin board or set out on a table with a parishioner manning the table.
GET THE WORD OUT: Here is some suggested verbiage for a bulletin announcement that can be used in the lead up to September 25:
Serra Club of Spokane invites you to celebrate Priesthood Sunday on September 25. It is a national day to honor our priests without whom we would not have Mass and the sacraments. Please consider sending a personal note of appreciation and tribute to Bishop Daly and our priest(s) or drop one in the parish collection basket. Share a story about how Fr. _______’s ministry has impacted your life. Consider including a spiritual gift in your note, such as offering a rosary, chaplet, mass, etc. Please also sign the spiritual bouquet chart located ____________.
PUBLISH TESTIMONIALS FOR SEPTEMBER 25: In the parish bulletin or on social media, you can highlight your priest’s vocation story and/or testimonies from parishioners about how your priest impacted their lives.
SHARE FOOD & TELL STORIES: Hold a parish reception or dinner to honor your priest. It can be a time for him to share his vocation story and/or for parishioners to share about the difference he made in their lives. Or, invite him out to lunch or dinner as a thank you for his service.
MORE IDEAS: Here is a list of 19 ways to show your priest he is appreciated.