O Mary,

Mother of Jesus Christ and Mother of priests,

accept this title which we bestow on you

to celebrate your motherhood

and to contemplate with you the priesthood

of, your Son and of your sons,

O holy Mother of God.

O Mother of Christ,

to the Messiah-priest you gave a body of flesh

through the anointing of the Holy Spirit

for the salvation of the poor and the contrite of heart;

guard priests in your heart and in the Church,

O Mother of the Savior.

O Mother of Faith,

you accompanied to the Temple the Son of Man,

the fulfillment of the promises given to the fathers;

give to the Father for his glory

the priests of your Son,

O Ark of the Covenant.

O Mother of the Church,

in the midst of the disciples in the upper room

you prayed to the Spirit

for the new people and their shepherds;

obtain for the Order of Presbyters

a full measure of gifts,

O Queen of the Apostles.

O Mother of Jesus Christ,

you were with him at the beginning

of his life and mission,

you sought the Master among the crowd,

you stood beside him when he was lifted up from the earth

consumed as the one eternal sacrifice,

and you had John, your son, near at hand;

accept from the beginning those who have been called,

protect their growth,

in their life ministry accompany your sons,

O Mother of Priests.

Amen.

[Source: John Paul II, conclusion of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation

“Pastores dabo vobis” on the formation of priests in the circumstances of

the present day, March 25, 1992.]