The Adoption Kit Contains...

The Adoption Kit is one of the unique things about our Adopt-a-Seminarian ministry.  The kit includes the following items (for more detail, check out the 3 sections below where you'll find a description of each):

  1. the Prayer Card
  2. the Adoption Certificate
  3. the Adoption Guide

    The adoption kit is especially helpful to parents with young children and teens, to help their young ones have a better sense of engagement with supporting the men in discernment.

    The Adopt-a-Seminarian Prayer Card

    Thank you so much for praying for your seminarian!  You're also welcome to join us in praying the Adopt-a-Seminarian prayer found on our prayer card at the right. 

    This prayer, approved by our Pray4Priests.com spiritual director, Very Reverend Herbert T. Burke, V. F., is intentionally Scriptural in nature.  It begins by speaking to the Lord Jesus of His own words that we find in the Gospels ("Come, follow me" in John 21, and "praying to the Lord of the harvest" in Matthew 9).

    The prayer then transitions to petitioning God, the Father, who is "the Lord of the harvest", on behalf of the adopted seminarian.  This type of prayer is called "intercession", and the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it thus:

    "Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners.  He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.  The Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us . . . and intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

    Since Abraham, intercession - asking on behalf of another - has been characteristic of a heart attuned to God's mercy. In the age of the Church, Christian intercession participates in Christ's, as an expression of the communion of saints. In intercession, he who prays looks not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others..." (CCC #2634-2635)

    Other Scriptural references in this prayer include:

    • Referring to Jesus by his title of “Great High Priest” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
    • Asking for strength in temptation (I. Corinthians 10:13)
    • Jesus is called God's Word (Jn. 1), and the importance of obedience to Him (John 14:23).
    • The offering of spiritual sacrifices as part of our responsibilities as participants in Christ’s royal priesthood (I. Peter 2:5)
    • Jesus as the “Light of the World” (John 8:12), a title by which he referred to Himself.




    The Seminarian Adoption Certificate

    The purpose of the Adoption Certification is to provide a concrete reminder of the seminarian you are lifting up in prayer. It can be placed on the fridge, or on the family bulletin board, so the seminarian's name and face are always before the eyes of the adoptive family. 

    The information on the Certificates vary according to seminarian. This is a unique feature of our ministry, and we update the Certificates for each school year, including new questions and responses so that every so often so there are different things to learn about each seminarian from year to year.

    The Certificate is also an interactive tool that parents use to help younger children feel connected to the support process.  Many parents have said the anticipation of opening the Adoption Kit is like a fun adventure for their younger children who look forward to the surprise of finding out who their new seminarian will be for the current year. 



    The Seminarian Adoption Guide

    The Adopt-a-Seminarian Kit comes with an Adoption Guide, which is another unique feature of this ministry.  The 2023 - 2024 Guide cover, at right, features Christ's Temptation in the Desert.  

    The Guide is a multi-page booklet containing helpful information about the different seminaries and covering real-time spiritual and practical needs of the seminarians. 

    We update the Guide for each new school year with input from several sources, including the seminarians and contacts at the various seminaries.