Why a year for priests, when priests always seem to be at the center of the church's liturgical life anyway?  Good question.  It reminds me of something my mother used to say when Mothers' Day rolled around.  I used to ask, "When's Children's Day?" And she would say, "Every day is Children's Day!" Or why not, for example, the year of the laity? Another good question. Let me try to answer those questions as best I can. 

By virtue of our baptism, we are all called to be priests for one another.  We are all called to sanctify our lives in service to Christ, to preach the word of God and to teach others about our faith.  So the Year for Priests isn't just for the ordained, it's for everyone—everyone who calls themselves Catholic. This Year is everyone's year.

The Year for Priests also tries to respond to the reality of the Church at this time in history. For one thing, the priesthood in the wake of the sexual abuse crisis has been severely demoralized.  Second, the declining numbers of priestly vocations (as opposed to the rising numbers of lay vocations) means that, in some areas—where priests are the only ones who can perform certain functions—we feel overwhelmed by work. 

And so, we're grateful for the Year for Priests. Priests like me could sure use your prayers as could the Church, to which all of us belong.

By James Martin, SJ, author of My Life with the Saints.