Fr.

Giorgio Nalin, RCJ

PRIESTS ACCORDING TO THE HEART OF CHRIST
Circular Letter for the Year of the Priests

PRIESTLY UNION OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Statute

Congregation of the Rogationists

Roma 2009

Rome, November 1, 2009

Solemnity of All Saints

To the Rogationists
To the Family of the Rogate

PRIESTS ACCORDING TO THE HEART OF CHRIST

Dearest friends,

together with the whole Church we are living in the Year for Priests, declared by Pope Benedict XVI on
the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the dies natalis of S. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars. This year -
Benedict XVI wrote - meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior renewal for a more
forceful and incisive witness to the Gospel in today's world.
The purpose of this Year for Priests - said later Benedict XVI - is therefore to encourage every priest "
toward spiritual perfection on which, above depends on the effectiveness of his ministry," and above all
help the priests, and with them the whole people of God, to rediscover and reinvigorate their awareness
of the extraordinary and indispensable gift of grace that the ordained ministry is for those who have
received, for the whole Church and for the world, that without the real presence of Christ would be lost.
In these first years of the third millennium, the Pope, with pastoral wisdom, it is proposing to the
Church, at some significant anniversaries, a common path with educational issues of primary importance
and relevance. The theme of the current year, due to its nature and objectives, which aims, specifically
touching the charism and spirituality Rogationist and involves our priestly life.
Hereby I would like to highlight the main elements of this consonance, that certainly we've all learned,
and recall briefly the thought of our Holy Founder, in order to facilitate a more specific and fruitful
participation on our part. In a special way I want to take the opportunity of the current Year for Priests
which propitious time to present the project to revitalize the Alliance for Priests Rogationist after the
study carried out in recent years, as a special initiative to propose to the Congregation for ordained
ministers develop and live their priestly identity.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS AND ROGATIONIST SPIRITUALITY

1. Benedict XVI wanted to match the beginning and the end of the Year for Priests with the solemnity of
the Sacred Heart, from about twenty years, it is also the World Day for the Sanctification of Priests,
established to continue, deepen and live the spiritual richness of Holy Thursday is the day that in an
eminently Eucharistic liturgy, and therefore the priesthood.
The Holy Father, in so doing, he also wished to emphasize the close link between life and priestly Heart
of Jesus, as he himself pointed out: If it is true that Jesus' invitation to "abide in his love" (cf. Jn 15: 9) is
for every baptized on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, day of priestly sanctification, this invitation
resounds more powerfully for us priests (...). I immediately comes to mind a beautiful and moving
affirmation ( of the Curé of Ars ), reported in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: " The priesthood is
the love of the Heart of Jesus " (n. 1589 ). How can we not remember with emotion that resulted
directly from this Heart is the gift of our priestly ministry ? (...) Ours is an indispensable mission for the
Church and for the world, which demands full fidelity to Christ and unceasing union with Him, I remain
in his love demands constantly striving for holiness, for this to remain as did Saint John Vianney.

2. The Pope's choice to tie the beginning and the end of Year for Priests to the solemnity of the Sacred
Heart draws our identity as " Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus ", and the words he used evoke
expressions and teachings of our Holy Founder, who wrote that we have a " special order everything "
penetrate into the brisket Blessed Jesus, to live in this divine Heart, feel the love, marry all the interest,
having compassion on all penalties parteciparne the sacrifice comfort in the divine Heart their own
sanctification and the souls purchasing them, especially with the obedience to the divine command of
the Heart of Jesus when he said: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the
Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. "
Workers ask God for his Church - in the thought of Father Hannibal - it means, first, ask priests after his
own heart. Priests after the heart of Christ is holy priests. The request for holy priests is a constant
prayer Rogationist, starting from the witness and teaching of the Founder. To operate the greater good
in S. Church - he writes - to save many souls, to extend the Kingdom of God on earth, no means is as safe
as the rise by elected Ministers of God, men of saints and apostles, according to the Heart of Jesus,
therefore excellent and fruitful prayer is preferable to ask earnestly to the Heart SS. Jesus on earth to
send holy men and priests elected.

3. With the proclamation of the Year for Priests, the Pope, as well as to deepen the commitment of all
priests to interior renewal, intended to draw the attention of the Church on the centrality of the
priesthood and at the same time on the urgency of vocations to the priestly ministry. The promotion of
priestly vocations represents the heart of the teaching of our holy Founder and soul of our commitment
prayerful and pastoral. The mission Rogationist qualifies, in fact, primarily as a prayer offered by the
Lord and holy priests, therefore, as a duty to foster and support their journey of sanctification.
Indispensability of the priestly ministry and holiness of priests are priority elements of the Letter of the
Holy Father, modulated on the life of a witness and exemplary model who was the priest John Vianney.
They are not found in the writings of Father Hannibal references to the Curé of Ars who died in 1859, a
few years after his birth. However, the spirituality of Saint John Mary Vianney and, in particular, his way
of conceiving and living the priestly vocation we find them amply reflected in the thought and life of the
Founder.
We consider, therefore, the Year for Priests as a particular year Rogationist, providential occasion to
revive our personal vocation to the priesthood and to renew our commitment and action charismatic
prayer for vocations of special consecration in the light of the thought and teachings of the holy
founder.
THE PRIESTLY MINISTRY IN THE THOUGHT AND WRITINGS OF FATHER HANNIBAL

4. The theme of the priesthood and, consequently, of priestly vocations are central to the thought and
work of the founder. Here I would like you to briefly mention leaving each the initiative of a personal
and community through deepening our literature.
Father Hannibal Rogate fully understand the Gospel, expressed a very high esteem, love and zeal for the
Catholic priesthood, animated by the principle of faith that the priest is a " new Christ ", whom he sent
to continue his mission. Oh, great, very great is the dignity of the priesthood ! The angels themselves
they feel an almost reverential awe. The Catholic priesthood attributed the good of society, convinced
that only through the work of the priests, and numerous saints, you can save mankind.
The history of the Holy Church, the history of all the different and many lands, we demonstrated
through its many huge assets, many holy works have been received by the Catholic priesthood. Are not
priests continuous breeding of Divine Redemption? And again: This is the order established by God that
man can not be led to truth and health if not through the priest... Where some good appears, where
faith flourishes, where souls are health, where the youth is growing believer, where the poor find solace,
where good works are located, where religion is sustained, defense, propagated, the error fought,
where the laity is Catholic and active, there is always the work of the priest.
Elsewhere, the Boss says: Imagine for just the priesthood, like a setting sun, went out. All the world
would not remain in darkness ? Where would be more the worship of God, the sacraments, the SS.
Eucharist, the Word of God, faith, charity ? Imagine for just the opposite, ie that the earth abound of
elected ministers, many holy priests... uguagliassero so holy that the ancient Apostles would not have
this sudden health and happiness of all souls, no exception ?.
In his Eucharistic Congress in Catania in 1905, after stating the contemporary institution of the Eucharist
and the Priesthood by the same twin birth of love, he continues: But who can repair the forgetfulness of
Jesus in the sacrament ? Who spreads the glory ? Who demonstrates the infinite love ? Who excites the
hearts to love him ? to desire ? About blunt mistakes, who would oppress him ? It is the Catholic priest !
it's him, only him, only him! He creates the Eucharist, if I may so express myself. He creates Jesus in the
sacramental life. He prepares him a perfect mob. There are also apostles of good works of charity, who
are not priests, but they draw the grace to do good at the foot of the altar, where the priest has slain the
divine Victim, where he locked up in the holy tabernacle.
When Hannibal then stops to delineate the figure of the priest, observes, first, the sanctity of which
must be covered, so he asks, and is recommended to ask the workers and numerous saints. In a time
when there were priests who were anything but what they had received holy orders, he questioned
incredulously: whence it happens that sometimes abound priests of both branches of the clergy but the
workers are in short supply ? Hannibal often recalls that priests must be holy because they are sent as "
light of the world and salt of the earth ", because they are sent by Jesus with the same mission received
from his Father, for they are the chosen first-fruits of his eternal priesthood.
The features that characterize the priesthood in Annibale Di Francia, as conceived by him and faithfully
lived, were drawn from the figure of the Good Shepherd who provides for his flock, feeds him and takes
him to safety.
Hannibal is recalled that the priest is the one who prays the Almighty, like Moses, interceding for his
people, which makes perpetual sacrifice and priesthood of Christ, who loves, prays and offers. The priest
is the minister sent by the Supreme Pastor for Care and the salvation of souls as a leader and teacher in
the ways of eternal salvation. He will have to fight against evil with the power to tear it down and snatch
the souls of his flock will show the way, this will be especially good example of a blameless life, and
lavishing it with all his strength to those whom the Father has given, with an untiring zeal, fervor,
continuous, illuminated, prudent, active, untiring, because in his parish reign the glory of God and the
salvation of souls.
5. We know that the heart of priestly spirituality and the charism of Saint Hannibal is the unceasing
prayer to the Lord of the harvest for the gift of good workers. But those who are in his thought laborers
for the harvest ? We can say that the greater part of his texts that relate to good workers, concerning
the priests. When he then makes an articulate speech, noting that good workers can and should be even
nuns and lay people, men or women, in this case also ranks first priests. And the motivation is clear: As
all good comes from the priesthood on earth, so we, by divine mercy, imploring the good workers to the
holy Church, we aim to cater for all interests beloved of the Heart of Jesus.
This emphasis on the priestly ministry, particularly evidenced by Hannibal in accordance with the
ecclesiology of the time, corresponds to a principle of perpetual pastoral vocation that puts due
emphasis in the role of the ordained ministry in the Church. The modern pastoral care of vocations, in
fact, although based on the " vocation of the Church and of every human life as a call and response " can
not fail to recall the excellence of the priestly vocation (cf. PO 11 ) and to highlight that the ordained
ministry is " permanent guarantee of the sacramental presence of Christ the Redeemer, and makes the
Church, especially through the celebration of the Eucharist, source and summit of the Christian life and
the community called to make the memory of the Risen Lord. "

6. Ceaselessly implore from the Lord of the harvest priests after the Heart of Christ and promote them
by all means, in particular through the holiness of his life, then, is the message that comes to us from the
life of Hannibal. How not to welcome the first to us, his children, and to renew our resolve to be faithful
to his teaching during this special Year for Priests ?
In the light of the teachings of the Founder, expressed in the writings and testimony of life, and in
keeping with the theme of the Year for Priests: Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests, we feel
called to first appreciate the gift of the priestly vocation, to revive in our consciousness all the beauty
and strengthen our daily commitment to a more radical personal response to the needs and specific
commitments of the ministry. This year thus becomes a "favorable time " to rethink, in a prayerful
atmosphere of serene spiritual discernment and commitment to the path of holiness, fidelity to the
fraternal life in community, privileged environment in which our priestly ministry feeding and in part, it
expresses the commitment of the prayer made on behalf and in the name of the People of God, what is
the liturgy of the Hours, the celebration of the Eucharist with the accurate preaching ministry, the
attendance and service of the sacrament of reconciliation, evangelization and the rescue of the children
and the poor.
To this regard, I also want to point out to interior renewal for the exemplary figure of our brother, the
Servant of God Fr Giuseppe Marrazzo, which is in the process of canonization. He lived in the priestly
fidelity unconditional dedication and reception and silent listening to the people, especially in spiritual
direction and the sacrament of penance. Many of us are witnesses of his priestly life joyful and zealous
people, recognizing the sanctity already, it 's called the apostle of reconciliation.
Moved by the zeal of the vocation Rogationist, we feel so stressed, during this year, to revive our
charism which we are primarily engaged in prayer to the Lord of the harvest for the gift of holy priests
and the active dissemination of the spirit of this prayer. Just in implementation of the task of spreading
the Rogate in the Church of Christ I would be most desirable to propose during this year, as I said at the
beginning, the re-launch of the Alliance for Priests Rogationist, through the publication of a statute
experimentally renovated and updated in which, in order to better emphasize the affinity with the Union
of Prayer for Vocations, is now called the " Union of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood."

" PRIESTLY UNION OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS ".

7. The X General Chapter, in its concluding document of the Apostles Rogate - The mission of the
Rogationists beginning of the third millennium, retracing the charismatic experience of Father Hannibal,
has left us some guidance on its known initiatives, the Holy Alliance and the ' Union of Prayer for
Vocations.
The Union of Prayer for Vocations, already before the last chapter, following the study conference held
on the centenary of its establishment, has been reorganized with a special project shared with the
Sisters Daughters of Divine Zeal and time in different jurisdictions are is commendably trying to promote
its relaunch with specific initiatives.
The Chapter about the Alliance for Priests Rogationist, so it is expressed, "While ( Hannibal ) was
thinking of extending the great prayer had an idea, which he calls" mind - resource ", which would have
multiplied even more the God's blessings on his works, and spread much more easily the Divine
Command of the Rogate. " So P. Vitale outlines the identity of the Holy Alliance, commissioned by the
Founder for the clergy. The Alliance for Priests Rogationist, given its historical and charismatic, under
present conditions requires a study with a view to a possible revival appropriate.
Precisely because of this indication capitulate were held in these years, two seminars on the theme of
the Covenant of the Priesthood, with the intent to deepen the origin and historical evolution, the nature
and contents, the current situation and prospects future, the reasons, the conditions and the method of
a possible revival.
Interventions, both the speakers and participants, have substantially supported, albeit with caveats
reasonable criticism, the revival of the Alliance for Priests Rogationist, providing valuable information of
content and method that are the basis of the new draft statute.
On the subject have been made to the General Government also requests oral and written by individual
Brothers who advocate the desirability and urgency of a revival respondent, in form and content, and
sensitivity to the needs of the present church.
The General Government, therefore, convinced by the depth investigations carried out by various
stresses and received, after extensive discussion and appropriate consultation with the Governments of
the jurisdictions, has started to prepare a new draft statute with the assistance of specially appointed
Brothers. This project, after careful reading and revision, it was approved at the General Council and is
now being enacted on the occasion of the Year for Priests.

8. The new statute moves substantially in the line of the two previous processed in 70-80 years to
actualize the spirit of the precious initiative promoted and initiated by the Founder. A substantial
novelty is represented by the current name " Union of Prayer for Priestly Vocations." The opportunity
for change is suggested by the following reasons: it is a designation that allows for a more immediate
understanding of the content and objectives; eliminates the ambiguity of being a reality only of the
congregation; better blends with the Union of Prayer for vocations, within which is positioned as a
specific expression and qualified.
The statute is entrusted first of all, and especially to the Governments of the jurisdictions because little
program and diligently take steps to organize the re-launch of the Priestly Union, through the direct
involvement of the Superiors of Religious Communities and the individual. You should be entrusted to
the promotion and coordination within their District to a religious sensitive and capable for this
apostolate or to the same officials from centers of Rogate, taking care to work in synergistic
collaboration with the apostolate of the Union of Prayer for Vocations.

Confident that this initiative has a positive reception and collaboration in every Rogationist and
convinced that is conducive to the promotion of priestly vocations and the sanctification, in the center
of the concern and commitment of the Church especially in this special Year wanted by the Holy Father,
we entrust the success of all our activities to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and
Queen of Rogate, the Founding Father and all the saints special.

P. Giorgio Nalin, rcj

Superior General

UNION OF PRAYER FOR PRIESTLY VOCATIONS

Statute

Nature and purpose

1. The Union of Prayer for Priestly Vocations, founded by Saint Hannibal Mary Di Francia, an eminent
apostle of prayer for vocations, addresses the ordained ministers and proposes the commitment of
unceasing prayer to the Lord of the harvest for the gift of the workers in his harvest.

2. The purpose of the Union is to promote among the bishops and priests of the commitment to live and
spread in the Church the primacy of prayer in the pastoral care of vocations, in communion with the
members of the Family of the Rogate that, for various reasons, are consecrated to this prayer.
Inspiration and foundation of the Union is the command of Jesus: "The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few. Ask [ Rogate ] dun ¬ que the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest "(
Mt 9, 37-38, Lk 10:2).

3. The Union of Prayer for Priestly Vocations offers its members to:
- Praying to get " good workers " to the Church and to the perseverance and sanctification of those who
have received the gift of a vocation to the priesthood and / or consecrated.
- To spread the Christian community prayer to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his
harvest.
- Promoting vocations founded on the primacy of prayer.
- To revive his priestly vocation through this spirit of prayer, putting at the center of their life and
apostolate of the Eucharist, source and summit of the Church's prayer.

Spirituality

4. The Union of Prayer for Priestly Vocations proposes to live and carry out their apostolic ministry
inspired by the same feelings of Jesus, who went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease. Seeing
the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, " The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few ! Pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest " (Mt 9.35 to 37 ).
He like the Model S. Annibale Maria Di Francia, that this prayer was a witness and apostle.
Commitments

5. The members of the Priestly Union of Prayer for Vocations are committed to:
a) To obey the command of Jesus to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest
with the offering of himself and through daily prayer, in communion with the spiritual sons and
daughters of St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia.
b ) To praise and thank the Lord for the gift of their vocation and for all the vocations of special
consecration in the Church.
c) 'Participation of solicitude for the whole Church, so that the pilgrim People of God on earth will never
lack workers. [...] Educating the Christian people to understand that it is his duty to cooperate in various
ways - with insistent prayer and other means at its disposal - to ensure that the Church has always
priests that are necessary to fulfill its divine mission."
d) Apply at least once a year a Mass petitioning for vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the
consecrated life.
e) Experience the commitment of prayer for vocations in harmony with its specific spirituality.

Spiritual Benefits

6. Each month is celebrated at the General Curia of the Rogationists a Mass "pro vivis" and a "pro
defunctis " for members of the Priestly Union of Prayer for Vocations.
To the Members of the Union shall have the possibility of retreats according to the spirituality of the
Rogate, prayer meetings, fellowship, study and pastoral - theological study.

operational proposals

7. Members of the Union of Prayer for Priestly Vocations are invited to:
- Develop the vocation of the Christian community, as well as in ordinary pastoral care, especially in
times more favorable pastoral: the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the World Day for the
Sanctification of Priests, World Mission Sunday, the day of the Seminar, catechesis, in the various
moments of sacramental initiation, the life of associations and movements.
- Promoting the development of the Union of Prayer for Vocations, even with the creation of animation
in Cenacles Vocation or groups of prayer for vocations.
- To help young people, especially through listening, confession and spiritual direction, to discover their
vocation and to respond generously to God's call
- To promote a genuine culture of life as vocation, even through the means of social communication,
because it creates in the Church the right soil for the flowering of different vocations and in particular
those of special consecration.

Adhesion

8. They can be part of the Priestly Union of Prayer for Vocations bishops and priests, both diocesan and
religious, of whatever rite Catholic and hierarchical rank.
9. Membership does not involve any financial burden and is made by letter to the Head Office of the
Priestly Union of Prayer for Vocations.
(put address of the office of the District )

Subsidies

10. The Rogationists and the Daughters of Divine Zeal offer help, collaboration and subsidies in the field
of the apostolate for vocations. Their communities are spiritual landmark in the area for Members of the
Union.
Members of the Union will receive a monthly basis, at its request, the publications of the Center District
of Rogate advantage of special discounts.

( for Italy )
Members of the Union will receive a monthly basis, at its request, publication of periodicals ' Rogate
Ergo, "" World - voc ',' Last Suppers - Voc, "edited by Editrice Rogate of Rome, taking advantage of
special discounts.
Information may also be obtained via the following address: International Centre for Vocational Rogate -
Via Rogationists, 8am - 00182 Rome - Tel (06) 70 22661; 7.02343 million; Spirituality Center Rogate, Via
Flaminia, 65-00067 Morley (Rome ) - Tel. 9072755 06.