World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests

Established by Saint John Paul II in 2002, the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 2026, it will be celebrated on Friday, June 12.

On the day, the Church encourages priests to prayerfully reflect upon the gift of their vocation and also invites the faithful to mark this celebration by praying for all priests that they may live lives of holiness and fidelity to Christ and his Church.

Speaking to priests on the day of prayer in 2025, Pope Leo XVI said that the solemnity "renews in our own hearts the call to be completely committed to the service of God’s holy people. This mission starts with prayer and is carried out in union with the Lord, who constantly revives in us the sacred gift of our vocation to the priesthood."

Pope Leo urged priests to "let yourselves be shaped by grace and guard the fire of the Spirit received on that day, so that, in union with him, you may be a sacrament of Jesus’ love in the world."

Holy Hour

On the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, a Holy Hour for priests will be held at 6 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.

The Holy Hour is an opportunity to pray for priests, for vocations, and for seminarian Vinh Nguyen, who will be ordained to the transitional diaconate on Saturday, June 13, at 10 a.m. at the cathedral.

Resources

Pope Leo XIV Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests 2025

Resources for supporting the life and ministry of priests: www.usccb.org/committees/clergy-consecrated-life-vocations/priestly-life-and-ministry. 

For information about discerning a vocation, visit the Diocese of Portland’s Office of Vocations website at www.portlanddiocese.org/vocations.

To pray for priests in our diocese: Apostolate of Prayer for Priests in the Diocese of Portland -  April-June 2026 / July-September 2026