Priesthood Sunday will be celebrated in parishes in diocese and nationwide on Oct. 28

The Office of Priestly and Religious Vocations of the Diocese of Sacramento is joining with USA Council of Serra International in the celebration of Priesthood Sunday on Sunday, Oct. 28. On that day, Catholic parishes in the United States will show support for their priests with prayer, celebration and dialogue.

The last Sunday of October is designated as Priesthood Sunday, a one-day celebration of the priesthood organized by parish lay leaders and coordinated by the USA Council of Serra International.

“The purpose of Priesthood Sunday is to engage every level of the church in the United States in a national conversation about the priesthood,” said Father Richard Vega, President of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils. NFPC represents more than 26,000 U.S. priests.

Priesthood Sunday was established in 2003 to provide a way for Catholic communities to express appreciation for the devoted priests who serve them so faithfully despite recent negative attention in the media. Such a celebration is increasingly relevant in light of the declining number of priests in the U.S. Only about 4,000 of the 19,000 parishes in this country currently have more than one priest. Many priests serve two or more parishes by themselves.

The lay faithful of each parish, school or other ministry are asked to develop their own special way of marking the day and honoring both priesthood and their own priests. Special liturgies, Priesthood Sunday celebrations and the opening of a dialogue between priests and parishioners are encouraged. Priesthood Sunday is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of October, but some dioceses and parishes may celebrate at a different time to coincide with other planned events.

Lay parish leaders are invited to visit www.priestsunday.org below for suggested liturgies, social celebrations, reflections, and downloadable graphics, guides and posters. Requests for printed material may be directed to ( 888)777-6681.

On the Web: http://www.priestsunday.org