Prayer to Pope St. Pius X

 

O God, who gave Pope St. Pius X to Your Church as a courageous reformer and defender of the faith, grant that we may follow his example in our commitment to holiness and our dedication to preserving the teachings of the Church. Through his intercession, help us to deepen our spiritual life and to remain steadfast in our faith. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

"For the priest cannot be good or bad for himself alone; his conduct and way of life have far-reaching consequences for the people. A truly good priest is an immense gift wherever he may be."

(Pope St. Pius X, "Haerent Animo", 1908 A.D.)

"Woe then to the priest who so far forgets himself that he abandons the practice of prayer, rejects the nourishment of spiritual reading and never turns his attention inwards upon himself to hear the accusing voice of conscience. Neither the festering wounds on his conscience, nor even the tearful pleas of his mother the Church, will move such an unfortunate priest until those fearsome threats come upon him: Blind the heart of this people, make dull their ears, and close their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them.

(Pope St. Pius X, "Haerent Animo", 1908 A.D.)

"Woe to the priest who fails to respect his high dignity, and defiles by his infidelities the name of the holy God for whom he is bound to be holy. Corruptio optimi pessima. 'Sublime is the dignity of the priest, but great is his fall, if he is guilty of sin; let us rejoice for the high honor, but let us fear for them lest they fall; great is the joy that they have scaled the heights, but it is insignificant compared with the sorrow of their fall from on high.'"

(Pope St. Pius X, "Haerent Animo", 1908 A.D.)

"Likewise, 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. Hence Christ, continuing this comparison, calls such priests salt that has lost its savor, which is good for nothing any more, but to be cast out and to be trodden on by men."

(Pope St. Pius X, "Haerent Animo", 1908 A.D.)

"It is from self-denial chiefly that the strength and power and fruit of every priestly function derive; it is when this virtue is neglected that there appears in the priest's conduct whatever may be of a nature to cause offense to the eyes and hearts of the faithful."

(Pope St. Pius X, "Haerent Animo", 1908 A.D.)