New York Catholics Mark Start of Pope's 'Year for Priests' with Novena for Vocations

Pope Benedict XVI's "Year for Priests" will begin in New York City with a conference on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and nine traditional Masses offered for vocations to the priesthood and priestly sanctity. Events include a Solemn Mass on the traditional day for the Feast of Corpus Christi (June 11); a Solemn Pontifical Mass celebrated by Bishop Rifan on the Feast of the Sacred Heart (June 19); and a day-long conference and gala dinner on June 20.

New York, NY (PRWEB) May 12, 2009 -- Pope Benedict XVI's "Year for Priests" will begin in New York City with a conference on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and nine traditional Masses offered for vocations to the priesthood and priestly sanctity.

Sponsored by two lay groups, the novena starts with a Solemn Mass on Thursday, June 11 -- the traditional day for the Feast of Corpus Christi -- and concludes on Friday, June 19 with a Solemn Pontifical Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Brazil's Bishop Fernando Areas Rifan will celebrate the Pontifical Mass at the Church of Saint Jean Baptiste in Manhattan at 7 PM. The other Masses of the novena will be held at Manhattan's Church of the Holy Innocents Church. Bishop Rifan leads the Apostolic Administration of St. John Vianney, an association of priests and lay people devoted to the Church's traditional liturgical forms in full communion with the Pope.

"Although our organizations support celebrations of the traditional Latin Mass, this conference focuses on a devotion with universal appeal to all Catholics -- the overwhelming love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus," said Indira Sweeny, spokeswoman for the groups sponsoring the Mass novena and conference.

She also noted that the intention of the novena of Masses -- vocations to the priesthood and priestly sanctity -- is broadly focused. "We conceived of this novena as a way for those fond of the traditional Latin Mass to pray for the welfare of the whole Church," Sweeny said.

In both the Pope's Year for Priests and in the local events planned, St. John Vianney figures prominently. The 19th century French saint was a parish priest known especially for his faithful 40-year service to a single parish. Pope Benedict will inaugurate the priestly year at a vespers service in Rome in the presence of a relic of St. John Vianney and all of the Masses of the New York novena will be celebrated before a relic of the saint.

Noted biographer of Vianney, Father George Rutler, pastor of the Church of Our Savior in Manhattan will speak at the June 20 Conference on "St. John Vianney and the Sacred Heart". Other conference speakers include Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, Dr. Timothy O'Donnell, Fr. Joseph Koterski, and Mrs. Gloria Anson.

For more information, call (212) 569-1252 or visit www.sacredheartconfraternity.org.

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