The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests is celebrated annually in the Universal Church on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This day is dedicated to praying for the holiness and well-being of priests. Established by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2002, the day gives priests the chance to reflect on their vocation and calls on the faithful to pray for them.
Due to unavoidable reasons, the Diocese of Buea scheduled its own celebration of the Day of Sanctification for priests on Friday, August 1, 2025, at the Regina Pacis Cathedral, Small Soppo, with the participation of the Bishop of Buea, Most Rev. Michael Bibi and the priests serving in his Diocese.
Reflecting on the importance of the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, the facilitator of this year’s programme, Rev. Fr. Michael Mbuwir reminded his brothers that they are to continue to mirror Jesus Christ in our fallen world, “risking discouragement, criticism, misunderstanding and exhaustion”.
Within the context of the Jubilee of hope, Rev. Michael Mbuwir, drawing inspiration from the gospel passage of the day which centred around Jesus’ rejection due to familiarity with the people who saw him as the Son of a carpenter, Father Michael Mbuwir made it clear that rejection is not failure and beckoned on fellow priests to learn from Jesus to always seek God’s affirmation and not human approval.
The message from the priest to his fellow brother priests was clear enough: Priests are to clothe themselves with the virtues of the Heart of Jesus and never be tempted to go elsewhere “to seek comfort that does not comfort, solace that does not solace and love that does not love”.
