Novena to the Virgin Mary who guards priests

The Church is affected by scandals and targeted by the media. It is in turmoil. In order to help respond to this crisis, layman Guillaume d'Alançon stresses the importance of prayer, and even proposes a new novena for priests.

A husband and father, d'Alançon aspires to share the Christian message that holiness is for everyone ... provided we live according to the Magisterium of the Church. In addition to his professional work, he founded the "Louis and Zelie’s House" (Saint Therese of Lisieux’s parents), a place for families experiencing spiritual and moral suffering. But, having met with many priests, he knows that the priesthood is also attacked by the spirit of the world: "I have many priest friends who are faithful, admirable, and who humbly fulfill their mission day after day. It is important that we, the laity, support them with our prayer and sacrifices, so that they remain strong in the faith and well-armed in the spiritual struggle they are going through."

This is why he initiated a novena to the Virgin Mary who protects priests. It was originally intended for priests alone, but the response he received led him to make it known to the faithful: "It is essential to pray to the Virgin. How can we function without a mother? Christ needed a Mother, how could we do without one?"

Since Jesus has entrusted us to Mary, we can ask her for help. To enable priests to "feel the Virgin's tenderness," d'Alançon also launched, with the Society of Saint John Vianney, the project to commission a statue of "Mary who Guards Priests," to be installed in the home for priests in Ars. 

Aleteia