40 Hours Non-Stop Prayer in Mangalore

By: Fr Francis Rodrigues, Raknno

Mangalore, 17 June 2010: As a mark of the conclusion of the year dedicated to the Christian priests of the world,  40 hours non-stop prayer and adoration to the Blessed Sacrament is taking place in Our Lady of Dolores Chapel situated in the Bishop’s House of Mangalore.  The prayer was inaugurated by Most Rev. Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the Bishop of the Diocese of Mangalore with the Eucharistic celebrations at 6.45 a.m. Thursday, 17th of June, 2010.

The Bishop invited all the faithful to thank God for the great gift of the priesthood and requested to pray continuously for the priests so that they may be true to their vocation.  The Chancellor of the Diocese, Very Rev. Henry Sequeira shared in the homily on the occasion that Jesus the Highest Priest has taught us to pray and dialogue with the Heavenly Father as to know and  live the will of God.

Many priests and lay  representatives were present for the inaugural Mass. There are 337 diocesan priests and 120 religious priests serving in the Diocese of Mangalore.  The Prayers would go on till midnight of Friday,  18th June 2010.  Different prayer groups are partaking in the non-stop prayer series by turn. The Sister Disciples of the Divine Master are animating the 40 hours long prayer session.

15000 priests in Vatican

Pope Benedict the 16th  had dedicated a whole year (19th June 2009 to 19th June 2010) to the priests of the world with the motto ‘Faithfulness of Christ and Faithfulness of Priests’ on the occasion of the  150th Death Anniversary of St John Maria Vianney, the Patron of the priests.

Throughout the year different socio-spiritual activities were organized as to grow in the true vocation of priesthood.  As a mark of the conclusion of the year of the priesthood a three day International Convention of Priests was organized in Vatican from June 9th to 11th, 2010 for which every catholic priest of the world was invited.  More than 10,000 priests had participated in the said Convention.  There were more than 15,000 priests from all the corners of the world as to concelebrate with the Pope in the concluding Mass that was held on the 11th of June, on the occasion of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.