BRAINTREE -- The Serra Club of Boston encourages all members of the Archdiocese of Boston to pray for our clergy in a more personal manner by participating in an apostolate of prayer. The goal of the Adopt-a-Priest Apostolate is to have each bishop and all 640 diocesan priests covered daily in prayer on an ongoing basis by a "spiritual adopter."

Many adopters have forged lasting friendships with "their" priest through this apostolate, with both adopter and priest adoptee benefitting, at least spiritually, from this prayerful relationship.

Father Daniel Hennessey, vocations director for the Archdiocese of Boston and chaplain for Serra Boston, describes the apostolate as "an excellent way to spiritually support priests who serve in the Archdiocese of Boston. ...involvement in this apostolate will increase your own faith in Christ and His Church and be a source of grace for you to grow in love for priests."

Those participating in the Adopt-a-Priest Apostolate will receive folders with the priests' names. The folders are all sealed and randomly sent out as a request is received. It contains a priest's photo (if available), his date of ordination and his birthday (month and day only.)

Suggested spiritual practices include: Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, eucharistic adoration, Holy Hours, the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Stations of the Cross, spiritual bouquets, Mass enrollments or anything else one would be inspired to do.

Anyone undertaking this spiritual adoption should consider daily prayer and sacrifice on behalf of their assigned priest to be a serious commitment. Families and prayer communities may also spiritually adopt a priest as a group. In addition to the spiritual dimension, adopters are expected to contact their priest in order to let him know that he has been "adopted" and that he is being remembered in prayer on a daily basis. The two special dates of ordination and birth are included so as to encourage the faithful to remember "their" priest with a card or special offering of prayer on those days. In addition, adopters are provided with a flyer that can be reproduced and distributed to churches, chapels, prayer groups, etc. There is no cost associated with membership in the apostolate.

Anyone wishing to spiritually adopt a priest can register directly via the Serra Boston website at www.serraboston.org or by calling 978-462-1057.

Serra Boston was chartered in 2008 with a mission to encourage, support and affirm vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The Serra movement started with the formation of the first club in Seattle, Washington in 1935. It has since grown into an international organization with more than 1,000 clubs in 44 countries with membership in excess of 23,000 Catholic men and women.

New members are always welcome to the monthly meetings held at St. Mary's in Waltham on the third Saturday of every month, beginning with Mass at 8:30 a.m.