How often does a priest have to pray?
Every day! Prayer occupies a central place in priestly life and ministry. Think for a moment of praying in terms of a close friendship. Can you imagine not speaking to your best friend regularly? A priest discovers that prayer – personal time with Christ Jesus – provides the source of strength, enabling him to be about the business of Heaven on earth. The Church in her wisdom knows how vital it is for the priest to be a man of prayer. One of the promises a priest makes at his ordination is to pray daily for God’s people. Of course it is not always easy to pray! Just like an athlete does not always feel liking practicing or a student doesn’t feel like studying, or a wage earner does not feel like working, so too there are times when a priest does not feel like praying. Like parents who must rise in the night to care for their children, so too do priests receive the necessary grace to honor their commitment to pray.