Get Involved!

Join the Vianney Group of Priestly Support (VGPS)

The VGPS, named after Saint John Vianney, the patron of priests, exists to support the priests of the Diocese of Fall River primarily through prayer and fasting. To the best of our ability, we commit to prayer and fasting once per month (typically the third Thursday of the month), seeking the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother and Saint John Vianney for the health, happiness, and holiness of the priests of our diocese.

To learn more about the VGPS, click here.

If you are parish staff, we invite you to click here for an example bulletin announcement.

To make the commitment and join the VGPS, click here.

To access the monthly zoom, click here (passcode: 352669)

Commit to Praying for a Priest Each Day

We invite you to prayerfully considering praying for a specific priest each day. On the home screen, you will find the specific priest's intention for that day. You are encouraged to visit our Prayers for Priests page as well, which lists suggested prayers for our priests.

Thank you for your support!

10 Ways to Be a Positive Source of Encouragement for the Priests in Your Life

Besides prayerful support of our priests, which is the foundation for priestly support, we invite you to consider some other ways to be supportive:

1. Offer to help your priests by supporting them in their ministry and volunteering in the community to help them build up the parish.

2. Remember that priests are human beings and to manage our expectations of them.

3. Avoid gossiping about priests or complaining to them. Instead, be a source of Christian charity and positivity.

4. Show priests our appreciation by offering to help, cooking them meals on busy days, saying "thank you," writing them a note of gratitude, or complimenting them.

5. Look out for their wellbeing and offer words of encouragement if they seem stressed.

6. Make it a priority to celebrate them on their special days, such as ordination day, birthday, or Fathers Day.

7. Establish a relationship with your priest, and let him know that you are in his corner.

8. Invite priests over for dinner.

9. Do what you can to encourage vocations to the priesthood.

10. Remember to support our bishop as a Successor of the Apostles.

Financial Support

The Diocese of Fall River is blessed to have over 90 active priests who have answered the call to a life of service to Christ, the Church, and God's holy people. It is through these men that we have access to the life-giving graces of the Sacraments. Whether it's new life in Baptism, nourishment in the Eucharist, forgiveness in Reconciliation, healing in Anointing of the Sick, or preparation for death through funeral rites and liturgies, it is these men, these priests, who make it all possible. As St. John Vianney, Patron of Priests, said, "St. Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary, and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts."

In gratitude to these priests, the Diocese is committed to supporting them in their life and ministry. We support them firstly by prayer in remembrance of the famous words of St. Augustine, who said, "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." But in addition to prayer, the Diocese is committed to supporting our priests through health and wellness initiatives, special events and speakers to promote ongoing formation, as well as programs and resources to support priests in their human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral wellbeing.

We encourage you to get involved in this important work of "service to the servants" throughout our Diocese. Your gift makes possible many of the Diocesan initiatives aimed at supporting our priests as men, disciples, and priests. Thank you for your generosity, and may we continue to encourage our priests so that they may be men of health, happiness, and holiness.

To make a financial contribution towards this work, please click here. Thank you!