The Priesthood and the Holy Face

My friend, Msgr A.B.C., was kind enough to send me from Rome today, the text of a prayer for priests composed by the recently beatified Blessed Maria Pierina de Micheli (1890-1945). It was to Blessed Maria Pierina that Our Lord gave the scapular of His Holy Face, which later became the medal of the Holy Face distributed throughout the world. Blessed Maria Pierina died on 26 July 1945. Her liturgical memorial is celebrated on 11 September. Here is the prayer:

Eterno Padre, offriamo il Santo Volto del Tuo Figlio Gesù per le mani di Maria, con l’intero generoso olocausto di tutte noi stesse in riparazione di tanti peccati che si commettono, specialmente della offese al SS. Sacramento dell’Altare. Te lo offriamo in modo particolare perché i Sacerdoti mostrino al mondo con la santità della vita, l’adorabile fisionomia del Divin Volto, irradiando la luce della verità e dell’amore per il trionfo della Chiesa e la propagazione del Regno.

Eternal Father, we offer Thee, with the hands of Mary, the Holy Face of Jesus, Thy Son, and the entire generous holocaust of all that we are, in reparation for so many sins that are committed, and, especially, for offenses against the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. We make this offering, in a particular way, so that Priests, by the holiness of their lives, may show the world the adorable features of the Divine Countenance shining with the light of truth and of love, for the triumph of the Church, and for the spread of the Kingdom. Amen.