PRIESTS ARE COMING IN EVER-INCREASING NUMBERS

According to Conchita, Our Lady insisted a great deal on "the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and on prayer for priests." The very close correlation between the Eucharist and Priesthood was to be very present in Garabandal: "The Blessed Virgin spoke to us of the grandeur of the priest. She said that if we could see an angel and a priest, we should greet the priest first or even fall on our knees before him . . . Because the priest consecrates, something the angel does not do." (J. Pelletier, Le Journal de Conchita, p. 94).

Conchita asked the Vision if all the priests were good. She was very astonished to learn that not all of them were.
In 1967, the visionary wrote out a short text that we consider as a kind of charter for the priest of our time: "What the Blessed Virgin expects from the priest is first of all his own sanctification. That he be faithful to his vows for the love of God. That he bring many souls to God through his example and prayer . . . That the priest deny himself for the love of souls in Christ. That he withdraw from time to time in silence to listen to God who constantly speaks to him. That he meditate much on Jesus' Passion so that he may be more closely united to that of the Christ-Priest, and to invite souls to do penance and sacrifice, making the cross that Christ sends to each one easier to bear.To speak also of Mary: she is the most secure way leading us to Christ; to speak also that people may believe that just as there is a Heaven, so there is a hell.
That is what, I believe, Heaven is asking of its priests."
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 55.]

These powerful Truths of our Faith shine forth: Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the holy priesthood! The devil has spent the last 2000 years trying to destroy belief in both of these Truths of Faith. Here Our Lady is reminding us, as She did in Fatima, of Jesus True Presence in the Blessed Sacrament, and that only a priest can consecrate bread and wine so that It changes into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Years ago, many people had a special reverence for a priest, and when they greeted him, they kissed his hand, because his hands were consecrated to offer Holy Mass and bring Jesus down from Heaven upon the Altar. Today, in most places, that reverence has almost disappeared. Never mind kneeling before a priest or kissing his hand, I've stood besides holy priests who were spat upon and called every name in the book, especially at Pro-Life events . . . I felt so sad for them, but then remembered that Jesus was spat upon, called names, and even crucified, so these priests were following their Master in imitation of Him!

What Conchita wrote about the Blessed Mother's ideals for her priest sons are good for us too! We are all called to holiness . . . We are to be faithful to our vows (marriage or single state) . . . All for the love of God . . . Save souls through prayer and example (especially our own family) . . . Deny ourselves (sacrifice for the love of Jesus) (Fatima Prayer) . . . Meditate on the Passion of Christ (Sorrowful Mysteries) . . . Sing of Mary, Our Mother . . . And as Our Lady did at Fatima, remind people that there is Heaven & hell, a major Truth of our Faith!

And remember: PRAY FOR PRIESTS! They need our prayers now more then ever!
Deacon John