Spiritual Motherhood

From the request of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy and with the support of Pope Benedict XVI, the task to spread Spiritual Motherhood for Priests is being answered by Family Vocation Ministries.
The document entitled “Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity” was released on December 8, 2007 by the Congregation for the Clergy requesting all dioceses and the lay faithful to help the priesthood by their constant prayer and Eucharistic Adoration.

What is Spiritual Motherhood?

In imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Spiritual Motherhood is a vocation “within a vocation” for women who would like to pray and sacrifice for priests.

Why Spiritual Motherhood?

The initiative for Spiritual Mothers was established For the Good of the Clergy.1 According to the Spiritual Motherhood document, the Congregation for the Clergy has three main goals in mind:
I. An Authentic Renewal of Priestly Life
II. The Fruitfulness of Priests’ Pastoral Ministry
III. An Increase of Vocations to the Priesthood
Pope John Paul II said this in one of his Addresses regarding womanhood and motherhood:

“There are so many mothers today in the same situation as St. Monica. Nobody can thank them enough for what they have done through prayer and sacrifice for the Church and the Kingdom of God. May God reward them for it. If the desired renewal of the Church depends for the most part on its priests, then it will also depend to a large degree on the families and in particular women and mothers.”
–May 4, 1987

1) Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy, “Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity”, Page 5