.- After this morning’s general audience, the Pope invited the faithful to participate in the end of the Year for Priests with their prayers as thousands of priests converge on Rome for the closing celebrations.
The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is the day after tomorrow, marks the end of the Year for Priests. On that day, around 9,000 priests from around the world will come to Rome. Together, they will renew their vows and to praise the Lord, Pope Benedict said after the Wednesday audience.
He invited the faithful to participate in this event with their prayers.
The Year for Priests, which followed on the heels of the Year of St. Paul, reminded the faithful to pray for their priests, that they be holy men and be true to their vocation.
The Pope also spoke to the Polish pilgrims present at the audience in St. Peter’s square, reminding them of their country’s newly beatified priest and martyr, Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko. Fr. Jerzy, who was killed by the Communist secret police in 1984, was beatified Sunday in front of 140,000 people in Warsaw’s Pilsudski square.
Pope Benedict reminded the Polish that Fr. Jerzy “taught love and solidarity with those in need of spiritual or material support.”
He also entrusted the victims of the recent floods in Poland, as well as the aid workers, to the protection of Bl. Father Jerzy.
