Holy hour event in Lincoln invites community prayers for priests on February 19
A holy hour event focused on prayer for priests is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the chapel of the Pope St. John XXIII Diocesan Center in Lincoln, located at 3700 Sheridan Blvd.
The gathering, titled “In the Upper Room,” is organized by Magnificat and the Seven Sisters Apostolate. The evening will feature Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and will be presided over by Father Robert Barnhill, who serves as spiritual advisor to Magnificat. Mothers of priests are set to lead attendees in praying the rosary.
Attendees will also hear meditations drawn from “The Priest is not his Own” by Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. The program includes music and time set aside for silent personal prayer. Materials focused on prayer for priests will be available for purchase, with some offered free of charge.
Magnificat is described as a ministry directed toward Catholic women and operates as a private association of the faithful within the Catholic Church under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Lincoln. According to organizers: “The primary purpose of Magnificat is to help Christian women become more open to the Holy Spirit through a deeper commitment of their lives to Jesus as Lord and to impart the Holy Spirit to one another by love, service and sharing the good news of salvation.” Additional information about Magnificat can be found at lincolndiocese.org/diocese/lay-organizations/magnificat or by contacting coordinator Rhonda Litt via text at 402-525-6396.
The Seven Sisters Apostolate describes itself as a Eucharistic association composed of women who dedicate themselves to strengthening the Church through daily prayer for priests or bishops. Each group consists of seven women who each commit to one holy hour per week dedicated specifically for a priest or bishop’s intentions: “A group of seven women pray for a specific priest or bishop; each member commits to a holy hour on a specific day of the week, thus covering a complete week.” More details are available at sevensistersapostolate.org.
The Diocese of Lincoln oversees these ministries and promotes adherence to Catholic traditions while engaging members through events such as this one, according to its official website. The diocese covers southern Nebraska south of the Platte River and comprises 134 parishes along with six educational institutions [source]. It provides pastoral care and sacraments across southern Nebraska while supporting vocations, family life initiatives, youth programs, catechesis, evangelization efforts and charitable work [source].
