Reminders from Quotations of Saints for Priests.
- Nicholas Lim
- Feb 20, 2025
- 12 min read
Being human, we need reminders which serve as gentle nudges that keep us on track and ensure we follow through on our intentions and our vocations. They help us bridge the gap between our intentions and actions, overcoming our human weaknesses, like the tendency to be lazy or to procrastinate; here especially is to strengthen us against evil and worldly temptations.
Catholic priests are human too and as the world is more diabolical than ever, it is for the love of priests that the following quotations below will hopefully serve as a source of strength and inspiration, for them, as they strive in their path to holiness.
"Thus it is fitting that all clerics called to the service of the Lord should order their life and manners in such wise that in their dress, their gestures, their gait, their speech, and in all other things they should display nothing but what is grave and proper and full of religion." (Council of Trent, sess. 22, c. 1, de reform.)
Every worldly priest hinders the growth of the Church; every saintly priest promotes it. If only all priests realized how their holiness makes the Church holy and how the Church begins to decline when the level of holiness among priests falls below that of the people!
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Matthew 5:13-16
“A priest who neglects his own sanctification can never be the salt of the earth; what is corrupt and contaminated is utterly incapable of preserving from corruption; where sanctity is lacking, there corruption will inevitably find its way.” - St. Pius X
The vocation of priesthood is a sacred calling. God calls each priest to serve in many ways, but the dignity and essence of the priesthood is not just in what a priest does, but in who he is: An Alter Christus – Another Christ in the World. It is in holiness that a priest can truly be an Alter Christus.
“The dignity of the priest is so great, that he even blesses Jesus Christ on the altar as a victim to be offered to the eternal Father.” wrote St. Alphonsus. It is for these duties, he explains, that priests are called vicars of Christ and the representatives of God on earth.
As the priesthood is one of the targets of the devil because he hates priests. He wants nothing more than to hand them over simultaneously to the disdain of the world and to the eternal pains of hell.
As warriors for God, priests can certainly expect his attacks. The closer we walk with God, the more Satan's mission is at stake. Satan does not tire, therefore, his attacks will hit you harder, until he succeeds in you falling into mortal sin.
Ephesians 6:10–11-
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:12 -
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Although, divine grace is sufficient, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9; priests ( if not all of us), need all the help they can get for the strength against such attacks.
Here below are the quotes including those of two particular Saints who love the priesthood, the patron saints of priests: Saint John Vianney and Saint Philip Neri. It is hoped that these quotes would be considered a resource for priests to turn to in times of need and not be the cause of any offence to anyone.
More Saints’ Quotes:
“If a priest is determined not to lose his soul, so soon as any disorder arises in the parish he must trample under foot all human considerations as well as the fear of the contempt and hatred of his people. He must not allow anything to bar his way in the discharge of duty, even where he is certain of being murdered on coming down from the pulpit. A pastor who wants to do his duty must keep his sword in hand at all times.” St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars
"The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus. When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"O, how great is the priest! ... If he realized what he is, he would die."
"If we had faith, we would see God hidden in the priest like a light behind glass, like wine mixed with water."
"Without the priest, the passion and death of our Lord would be of no avail. It is the priest who continues the work of redemption here on earth...What use would be a house filled with gold, were there no one to open its door? The priest holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of His goods...Leave a parish for twenty years without a priest and they will end by worshiping the beasts there..The priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you." St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars
“Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if he wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength.” St. Philip Neri
“During mental prayer, it is well, at times, to imagine that many insults and injuries are being heaped upon us, that misfortunes have befallen us, and then strive to train our heart to bear and forgive these things patiently, in imitation of our Saviour. This is the way to acquire a strong spirit.” St. Philip Neri
“Priests should be holy, because God has placed them in the world as models of virtue,” he says. With this in mind, he warns how grievous it is for a priest to sin, “because he sins in view of the light.” How much better would it be a for a priest who falls into sin “to have been a poor uninstructed peasant, who had never known the law!” St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
“Perhaps the sole ends of the priesthood are to say Mass, and to recite the Office, and then to live like seculars? No, the end for which God has instituted the priesthood has been to appoint on earth public persons to watch over the honor of his divine majesty, and to procure the salvation of souls. "For every high priest," says St. Paul, taken from among men, "is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err." St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
“A man stained with sin despises and tramples on the Lamb of God, when, as the Apostle says, not discerning the sacred Bread, which is Christ, from other food, he eats unworthily by being guilty of unworthy actions; for the Lord has said by His Prophet: "Cursed is the man who does the work of God with negligence or fraud." And on account of those priests who will not lay these things seriously to heart, we are condemned, when Our Lord says: "I will curse your blessings." St. Francis of Assisi
“Oh, how blessed and happy are they who love God, and who act as Our Lord commands in the Gospel: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and thy neighbour as thyself." Let us therefore love God, and adore Him with a pure heart and mind, for this is what He seeks above all things when He says: "The true adorers shall adore God the Father in spirit and in truth." All who adore Him ought to adore Him in spirit and truth. Farewell in the Lord.” St. Francis of Assisi
“Do you wish to know if the people of any place are righteous? Look what sort of a pastor they have. If you find him pious, just, sound, believe the people will be the same, for they are seasoned with the salt of his wisdom.” "The priest should lead a life that is without blemish, in order that everyone may look to him for a perfect example."
“The priest stands midway between God and human nature: he passes on to us the good things that come down from God, and lifts up to Him our petitions.” (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. V, n. 1, in illud, Vidi Dominum.)
“I know by experience that the greatest punishment that can befall a people is a bad priest. It is best to leave a town without a priest than to send one who is unworthy. If God does not send me men who are truly called, God himself will have to take care of the men and souls by means of his angels. A call is God's gift. I must not bring the unworthy into the sheepfold to destroy it instead of tending it.” St. Anthony Mary Claret
'He made them, the vicars of his love.' "The priest has nothing in common with the multitude. The life of the priest should excel as grace excels." “Let them attempt to be equal to God in sanctity, in order that whosoever sees the minister of the altar may revere God in him." St. Ambrose of Milan
“In all divine things, who is there that would dare to show the way to others unless in all his habits he himself first be most closely patterned on God, and most like to God?" (S. Dionysius, De Eccles. Hier.)
"Just as those who receive Holy Orders are constituted above the crowd by the degree of their Order, so too they ought to stand out by virtue of their holiness.” (St. Thomas, Suppl., q. 35.)
“Man was created to this end; that he should praise God and give Him reverence, and, by serving Him, be saved." (St. Ignatius, Spiritual Exercises.)
Why is it that the priest, when he says the office, says, even when alone, Dominus vobiscum? And why does he reply, Et cum spiritu tuo? and not Et cum spiritu meo? The thing is, says St. Peter Damian, that the priest is not alone. When he says Mass, or prays, he has before him the entire Church, mysteriously present, and it is to the Church that he addresses the salutation, Dominus Vobiscum. And then, since he represents the Church, the Church replies through his own mouth, Et cum spiritu tuo. (Cf. St. Peter Damian, in the Lib. Dominus Vobiscum, 6, 10, etc.)
"Praise the Lord, but praise Him from the very roots of your being, that is, let not only your tongues that voices the Lord, but also your consciences, your lives, and all that you do."
"Just as men expect you to be a saint when you present yourself among them as God's delegate, so God demands it of you when you appear before Him to intercede for mankind. An intercessor is one sent from the misery of this earth to parley with the justice of God.
Now, St. Thomas says, two things are necessary, in an envoy if he is to be favorably received. The first is that he be a worthy representative of the people who send him, and the second that he be a friend of the prince to whom he is sent. You priest, who have no esteem for your sanctity, can you call yourself a worthy representative of the Christian people when you do not show forth the completeness of the Christian virtues? Can you call yourself the friend of God, when you do not serve Him faithfully?
"If this is true of the indifferent mediator, how much more so of one who is in sin! How can words be found to express the anomalies of his appalling situation? Good souls come to you and say: “Pray for me, Father, you have credit in the sight of God.” But would you like to know what efficacy there is in the protection thus piously invoked? "God is more pleased with the barking of dogs, than with the prayer of such clerics.“ (St. Augustine, Serm. 37; Fr. Caussette, Manrèze du Pretre, le jour, 2e discours.)
What is said here regarding priests also applies, in due proportion, to deacons and sub-deacons.
The Holy Fathers seem to have exhausted their eloquence in speaking of the dignity of the priest. Their thoughts may be summed up in a word, if we say that this dignity outstrips everything else in creation: God alone is greater.
"The sublimity of the priest can be expressed by no comparison.” (St. Ambrose, De Dign. Sacerd., c. ii.)
When you say "priest," you are speaking of a man who is altogether divine. (St. Dionysius, the “Areopagite.")
"He has placed you above kings and emperors, he has placed your order above all other orders, indeed, to go higher still, he has placed you above the angels and archangels, Thrones and Dominations." (St. Bernard, Sermo ad Past. in Syn., an apocryphal work, Migne, P.L., vol. 184, col. 1086.)
"All the other words, uttered in the prayers up to this point in the Mass, are spoken by the priest in his own person. . . . But when the time comes to confect the adorable Sacrament, the priest now no longer uses his own words, but utters the words of Christ. And therefore this Sacrament is confected by the word of Christ. What is the Word of Christ? It is that Word by which all things were created." (St. Ambrose, De Sacramentis, Lib. iv, c. 4, n. 14.)
“See how Ambrose would have the priest not only speak in the person of Christ, but also not to speak in his own person: nor would he have these words be the priest's at all. For, since the priest is assumed by Christ, to represent Him, and in order that Christ may speak through the mouth of the priest, it is not fitting that the priest should, when uttering these words, retain his own person." (De Lugo, De Euch., disp. xi, sec. v, n. 103.)
“It is Christ Himself who sanctifies and immolates. . .When you see the priest offering the Holy Sacrifice, do not think that it is as a priest that he does so, but as the hand of Christ, invisibly extended. . , . The priest lends his tongue.” (St. Chrysostom, Hom. 86, in Joan. n. 4.)
“It is a greater work to make a just man out of a sinner, than to create heaven and earth.” (St. Augustine.)
The Advantages of the Liturgical Life
It Helps Me to Be Permanently Supernatural in All My Acts
How hard it is for me, O my God, to base the ordinary run of my actions upon a supernatural motive! Satan and creatures conspire with my self-love to lure my soul and faculties away from their dependence upon Jesus living within me.
How many times, in the course of the day, this purity of intention which so greatly affects the merit of my actions and the efficacy of my apostolate is ruined through lack of vigilance or of fidelity! Only continual effort will obtain for me, with God’s help the power to ensure that most of my actions may have grace as their vivifying principle, and be directed by grace, towards God, as their end.
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
Amen.
Prayer by Pope Benedict XVI
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal High Priest,
you offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the cross
and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
gave your priestly people a share in your redeeming sacrifice.
Hear our prayer for the sanctification of our priests.
Grant that all who are ordained to the ministerial priesthood
may be ever more conformed to you, the Divine Master.
May they preach the Gospel with pure heart and clear conscience.
Let them be shepherds according to your own heart,
single-minded in service to you and to the Church,
and shining examples of a holy, simple, and joyful life.
Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Mother and ours,
draw all priests and the flocks entrusted to their care
to the fullness of eternal life where you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
An advice from a pious Pope.
“Venerable brethren, there is only one piece of advice that I offer to you: watch over your seminaries and over candidates for the priesthood.
As you yourselves know, an air of independence which is fatal for souls is widely diffused in the world, and has found its way even within the sanctuary; it shows itself not only in relation to authority but also in regard to doctrine.
Because of it, some of our young clerics, animated by that spirit of unbridled criticism which holds sway at the present day, have come to lose all respect for the learning which comes from our great teachers, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, the interpreters of revealed doctrine.
If ever you have in your seminary one of those new-style savants, get rid of him without delay; on no account impose hands upon him. You will always regret having ordained even one such person: never will you regret having excluded him.” Pope St. Pius X
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