Holy Orders
“Here I am, send me.” (Is 6:8) For more more information about vocations to the priesthood and diaconate, please see our section on Vocations. From the moment of Jesus’ conception in the womb of Mary until his Resurrection, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. In biblical language, he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and thus established by God the Father as our high priest. As Risen Lord, he remains our high priest. . . . While all the baptised share in Christ’s priesthood, the ministerial priesthood shares this through the Sacrament of Holy Orders in a special way. Ordination to the priesthood is always a call and a gift from God. Christ reminded his Apostles that they needed to ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into the harvest. Those who seek priesthood respond generously to God’s call using the words of the prophet, “Here I am, send me” (Is 6:8). This call from God can be recognised and understood from the daily signs that disclose his will to those in charge of discerning the vocation of the candidate.
Prayer for Priests
Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.
Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.
Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest.
Amen.
Prayer for Vocations
O God, Father of all Mercies,
Provider of a bountiful Harvest,
send Your Graces upon those
You have called to gather the fruits of Your labor;
preserve and strengthen them in their lifelong service of you.
Open the hearts of Your children
that they may discern Your Holy Will;
inspire in them a love and desire to surrender themselves
to serving others in the name of Your son, Jesus Christ.
Teach all Your faithful to follow their respective paths in life
guided by Your Divine Word and Truth.
Through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary,
all the Angels, and Saints, humbly hear our prayers
and grant Your Church’s needs, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Chosen to Serve
Introduction
This little booklet wishes to convey some of the vision and inspiration about the priesthood of Jesus Christ from the charism of Father Joseph Kentenich (1885 1968), founder of the International Schoenstatt Movement whose cause for beautification is presently being pursued…
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There is No-one Else for Me.
The prayer of the Church is that young people today may find the will and the courage to discern their own vocation in life with generosity and an open heart, not only thinking of their own future and well-being, but also of the future and well-being of others. When we give the sincere gift of ourselves, our lives take on meaning.
May those who feel called by God to follow Jesus, the Master, in the priesthood or religious life, leave everything behind as the first disciples did when Jesus called their names and their lives changed forever (see Matthew 12:21).
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Mission Statement
The Church of Saint Peter in Chains is a Catholic Church in Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland. Saint Peter in Chains belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway. It is a relatively young Church having been opened in 1938. Most Churches in the surrounding towns are well over a hundred years old. The Parish hopes to re-energise the local Church through authentic witness that can inspire people to rediscover the message of Catholicism.
We hope to play an active part in the New Evangelisation by striving to be “missionary disciples”. This website exists for two reasons. Firstly, it informs the community of Church services and other events and secondly, it records the history of the parish. These aims form our mission statement.