Diocese to participate in worldwide rosary for priests

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SALT LAKE CITY — “Pray the rosary, unite with your country and help encircle the world in prayer,” reads the invitation to join the annual global rosary relay for the sanctification of priests, which this year will take place June 11, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Cathedral of the Madeleine, the mother church of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, will celebrate this rosary effort on June 11.

“Anyone who wishes to join us at the cathedral is welcome. The prayer is open to everyone,” said Father Martin Diaz, cathedral rector.

Each of the participating countries will pray a particular mystery of the rosary at a specific time on the day, “in thanksgiving to God for our priests and to implore the protection and loving care of Our Lady, mother of all priests, for all her priestly sons,” states the event’s web page.

As a result, by midnight on June 11, “the entire world will … have been encircled yet again in prayer on this The Worldpriest Annual Rosary Relay Day,” reads the web page.

This worldwide rosary is in its 12th year. It began in 2003 with 24 single prayer locations; last year there were 2,600 locations worldwide.

On June 11, the Cathedral of the Madeleine participants will be praying the Glorious Mysteries.

Prayer for priests is important, Fr. Diaz said, because “priests have the responsibility (calling) to serve the community through prayer, teaching people. Intercessory prayer works to strengthen the resolve of each priest to be the disciple he is called to be.”

This prayer effort “is important because it builds up the Body of Christ,” he added. “One priest is a flame that can easily be extinguished. United as one in the Lord, we all become the fire of the Holy Spirit at work in the world.”

The annual global rosary relay for the sanctification of priests is organized by Worldpriest, a lay organization of professional communications people formed in 2003 in response to Blessed John Paul’s announcement of a World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, which is to be held annually on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the organization’s website states. Its mission is to “Affirm the dignity, beauty and gift of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ to Humanity.”