By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
This banner was displayed at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Miami, recognizing Sept. 24, 2023 as Priesthood Sunday.
Deacon Jose Naranjo prays over Father Jose N. Alfaro, pastor, at St. John Neumann Parish in Miami on Priesthood Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023.
This banner was displayed at St. Augustine Parish in Coral Gables, recognizing Sept, 24, 2023 as Priesthood Sunday.
Photography: COURTESY
MIAMI | Serra Club of Miami spearheaded the initiative to make this year's Priesthood Sunday celebration special in Miami-Dade and Monroe County. This local chapter of the USA Council of Serra International is an organization devoted to supporting vocations to priesthood and religious life.
Priesthood Sunday is observed in the United States on the fourth Sunday in September, falling on Sept. 24 this year.
“It is a day to reflect upon and affirm the role of the priest as central to the life of the Church,” Serra Club leadership stated in letters sent to Miami-Dade and Monroe parishes.
Serra Club of Miami promoted Priesthood Sunday in a variety of ways, including:
- sending appreciation cards to every priest in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties
- contacting parishes requesting promotion of Priesthood Sunday within parish ministries and in parish bulletins, newsletters, and social media; suggesting prayers of the faithful and special blessings for priests to include in Mass; and providing parish bulletin announcements and priest appreciation card templates
- encouraging parish schools to have students make appreciation cards for their parish priests.
Parishes responded to the call in a variety of ways. For example, Sts. Peter and Paul School students made cards for their parish priests, and parishes such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas the Apostle in Miami hung banners recognizing Priesthood Sunday.
According to Sharon Utterback, president of Serra Club of Miami, “The parishes that were contacted this year were very receptive to this initiative, celebrating priesthood Sunday more fully.”
