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Press Release - Priesthood Sunday 2004
PRIESTHOOD SUNDAY 2004 SET FOR OCTOBER 31
Catholic parishes throughout the United States will rally in support of their priests on Sunday, October 31, 2004 with prayer, celebration and dialog.
"Priesthood Sunday", a one-day celebration of the American priesthood, is backed again this year by a wide array of Catholic organizations seeking to show their support for priests. Priesthood Sunday was first observed in October of 2003 as a reaction to the shadows cast over all priests by the sex abuse crisis.
"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 Rev. Robert J. Silva, President of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils, organizer of the event. NFPC represents more than 26,000 U.S. Priests.
Only 4 thousand of the 19 thousand parishes in the U.S. currently have more than one priest. Some priests serve two or more parishes by themselves.
Priesthood Sunday is meant to led by a parish’s lay leaders. Last year, an estimated 10% of U.S. parishes took part in the event. Rev. Silva predicted as many as 25% of parishes may be involved in the 2004 event.
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 the priesthood and their own priests. Special liturgies, celebrations and the opening of a dialog between priests and lay people are encouraged.
A website has been established (www.priestsunday.org) to provide ideas for liturgies, social celebrations, reflections, dialogs on the priesthood and other events. In some dioceses there will be special Catholic newspaper sections devoted to honoring priests. A mailing will sent in coming weeks to every parish in the United States.
NFPC, which represents a majority of America's 44,000 priests, focuses on improving collaboration in dioceses between bishops and priests.
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