Terrific movement of prayer for priests: Seven Sisters Apostolate

Recently, I’ve written about some things that bishops and priests should do in this crisis time.  I’ve also made suggestions to lay people about things they can do.

However, there is one thing that lay people can do… especially lay women… which will be of enormous value in the coming days.

Last June, I attended a party arranged for the 90th birthday of a priest friend in my native place at the parish where he still helps on Sundays.  The pastor there is also an old friend.  While I was there, I kept hearing references to the “Seven Sisters”.  I inquired and learned of this great apostolate.

Seven Sisters Apostolate

This is a bit of a movement, actually.

In essence, 7 women and perhaps a couple alternates, commit for 1 year to 1 hour of prayer for 1 priest each week.   Hence, there is a lady on Monday, one on Tuesday, etc., ideally in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

In some cases, though this is not obligatory, the priest or bishop may not even know who they are.

There are good resources at their site.

This is a terrific apostolate.   They are in the process of having the movement designated as an association of the faithful.

May I suggest to some of you women who read here regularly that you might contact them and seek to start a local group for your local bishop and priests, the pastor of your parish, a retired priest, where you are?

Also, I would not object were a group of Seven Sisters might consider praying for me.   Perhaps one of you know six others where you live who also read this blog.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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16 Comments

  1. WmHesch says:

    There used to be indulgences for folks who formed pious unions: the 7 Gloria’s and 1 Ave said by 3 persons conjointly comes to mind (Raccolta, 2)

  2. Joy65 says:

    Father Z I was “convinced” by the Holy Spirit around this time last year to start praying in an intentional special way for ALL Priests, Religious Brothers and Sisters, Deacons, Seminarians, our Pope, Bishops, Cardinals and all discerning vocations to the Priesthood —Consecrated Religious Life. Since I’ve started this INTENTIONAL DAILY prayer it’s been just BEAUTIFUL and so special for me. I take it seriously and personally that if we want to have good holy devout Priests for the world I HAVE to do my part. Y’all need us and we definitely need y’all. We need to remember NO Priests-NO Mass, NO Eucharist, NO Sacraments.

    Father Z you are a good holy devout Priest and you do share THE WORD and THE CATHOLIC FAITH. Thank you for that a nd for encouraging more to do so. May each and every Priest in this world receive the Graces and Blessings they need from God to do His will, not their own and to remember they are here to serve not to be served. May Father Son Holy Spirit, Blesse Mother Mary, All Holy Saints and Angels surround and protect all Clergy, Consecrated Religious and Seminarians from satan and all his evil ways today and always.

    [Thanks for that. Remember to pray for priests, who are human beings, targeted by the Enemy, highly desired for devouring by the roaming lion. The only true Holy One is Christ the High Priest. Only Christ is the guarantor of all the Church’s holiness, authority and hope.]

  3. Sue says:

    I’m one of the 7 Sisters in our parish. It’s hard to not pray for ALL priests at that intentional time and yet there’s all the rest of the time in the week for that. Recently our priest asked us to pray especially hard for him as he was to read a letter from the Bishop at the weekend Masses regarding the scandals in the Church and would need all the help he could get. He seems genuinely grateful for our prayers.
    7 Sisters aside, there is also a beautiful booklet Praying For Our Priests that has meditations on the Rosary and the Stations regarding the struggles of priests. I just ordered 10 more for our parish to do the Stations together on Tuesdays after morning Mass. They do not charge for the booklets or the cd’s but if one can make a donation to keep them going it’s a good thing. Their website is http://www.prayingforourpriests.org. If we aren’t praying for our priests, we are a big part of the problem.

  4. Ave Maria says:

    I have been a part of the Spiritual Motherhood for priests for years. I have 3 spiritual priest sons. I do this through Opus Angelorum https://www.opusangelorum.org/crusade/crusade_frontpage_dw.htm#adoption
    although my own archdiocese does have a program as well.

  5. Joy65 says:

    I pray this Rosary for Priests from the “Manuel for Eucharistic by the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.” It is heartwarming, very specific of what to pray for our Priests and truly BEAUTIFUL. I am so glad I got the book and use it for the Rosaries I say.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1618907867/ref=pd_luc_rh_mrairnr_02_01_t_img_lh?ie=UTF8&psc=1&pldnSite=1

  6. Joy65 says:

    Right address for the “Manuel for Eucharistic Adoration with the Rosary for Priests”

    https://www.amazon.com/Manual-Eucharistic-Adoration-Clares-Perpetual/dp/1618907867

  7. Elizabeth D says:

    I would be game to organize my friends to do this for our Cathedral rector (my canonical parish) if I can. That is who I would feel called to do that for.

  8. maternalView says:

    Thanks for this information.

    While I know I can just pray on my own I like the idea of a commitment to/with a small group to do this regularly.

  9. beelady says:

    Father Z,
    I love the Seven Sisters Apostolate, we have one at our Parish. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this great ministry!
    I will pray that Seven Sister readers come forward and form a group for you.
    I am willing to be an alternate if such a group is formed. I will also commit to praying a Rosary for you every Friday.

  10. Elizabeth D says:

    To anyone else thinking about doing this, it seems like it will be easy to put together, I emailed 16 women friends this afternoon and already have 2 affirmative replies and one maybe. They wanted to know do we have to tell the priest and can it be anonymous, I told them the Seven Sisters Apostolate does foresee telling the priest but we don’t necessarily expect much interaction from him and definitely they can be anonymous, it appealed to them to quietly pray for their priest, hidden and anonymous!

  11. Fr. Kelly says:

    I highly recommend this Apostolate to all who are willing to take it on.

    Actually, in my parish 14 ladies stepped up to take me on in prayer, two for each day, since we are a rural parish and often during planting or especially during harvest, many of the ladies are working in the fields along with their families, and find it hard to get in a Eucharistic Holy Hour.

    (At least that is what they tell me is their reason — I suspect that perhaps they realize I need the extra prayers.)

    But all kidding aside, I am eternally grateful for all 14 of my 7 sisters. and I include them in my prayer intentions daily.

  12. capchoirgirl says:

    This is a fabulous idea. Talking to my friends about it now! Most of my friends are deep in the trenches of early motherhood with babies and toddlers and they homeschool (and are also fairly rural), but I hope we can get seven ladies together!

  13. emily13 says:

    Fr. Z – I also wanted to bring your attention to a beautiful apostolate at the Pittsburgh Oratory. The Daughters of St. Philip Neri were started in response to the document “Adoration, Reparation and Spiritual Motherhood for Priests.” The Oratory has been blessed to have Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration for 10 years now and the Daughters of St. Philip Neri are a group of women, married and single, who embrace spiritual motherhood through adoration and reparation for priests. In particular, each Daughter commits to making a daily holy hour for priests. More information can be found here: http://www.thepittsburghoratory.org/dspn

  14. Marg says:

    Anyone interested in starting a Seven Sisters Apostolate should go to http://www.sevensistersapostolate.org. On the Contact menu, you can use the “Start a Group” button. There is a Frequently Asked Question menu under Resources that will answer many questions. If a woman can’t make her holy hour one week, she can get a substitute. Although the seven sisters are all women, men can be substitutes. You can also submit questions or comments through the email form on the Contact menu. For those of you interested in praying for Fr. Z, send your information through the website and we’ll see if we can get you connected!

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