Opus Bono Sacerdotii
Work for the Good of the Priesthood Finding solutions to the problems confronting priests.
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A Service of Love to Thousands of Catholic Priests

“Holy Father, the essence of our mission is one of love; love for the priesthood, especially in its most vulnerable state. Why? Because it is the priesthood that feeds us the Body and Blood of Our Savior, heals us of our wounds in the confessional and prepares us on our way to salvation. The Catholic priesthood gives us life! This is a privileged work for us and I pray that you will accept this simple work as a gift of love to the Church.”

Joe Maher, President of Opus Bono Sacredotii
to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

  • Opus Bono Sacerdotii (OBS) is the only lay organization of its kind that assists Catholic priests with personal problems and situations that require the aid we offer. We turn no priest away who needs our help when we can help him. OBS has been a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in existence since April of 2002.
  • Our mission is to love Jesus Christ the High Priest. We fulfill our mission by manifesting our love for Christ in serving each priest individually. We focus on each priest's unique needs and loving him unconditionally.
  • OBS is funded by individual donations – the majority of which are received from priests.We charge no fees for our assistance to priests. All of the aid that we provide priests evolves as each situation dictates the type of assistance needed given the resources available..

“A long awaited gift to the Church!”
Most Reverend Robert J. Baker, Bishop of Birmingham, AL

Services to Priests

  • Monthly grants for basic living expenses ($50 to $250 per month per priest) this financial assistancecovers food, lodging, transportation, job search costs, health care, health, auto insurance, and other living necessities.
  • Emergency funding for special circumstances like missed mortgage payments, rent deposits, emergency health care, travel for parent or sibling death, etc.
  • Support for priests in prison including grants for necessities (from $100 to $400 annually); sending them spiritual materials like the publications Magnificat, the WordAmong Us, the Liturgy of Hours and Ordo, Liturgical Desk Calendar, and other materials; Visiting, writing and receiving collect calls from priests in prison.
  • Canonical support including refering priests to one of the canon lawyers in our network; paying for legal fees and expenses for canon lawyers and associated costs; hosting meetings with canon law professionals for networking and support.
  • Interacting with Bishops and the Holy See by attend National Bishops' conferences (twice a year in the US); visits with the Vatican Congregations; individual communication and visits with bishops; regular communication and updates to the Holy Father.
  • Communicating with priests in need involves making time to listen to priests and empathize with their difficult situations; consoling them in their time of crisis; responding in a timely fashion to emails and letters; sending birthday cards and anniversary cards remembering their ordination; funding travel for them to our offices and Our Lady of Priests Chapel where they can experience first-hand our love and concern for them; in some rare cases, "suicide watches" for priests in grave despair.
  • Fidelity Fraternity Forever is an on-line community for priests networking for fraternal support and encouragement .
  • Criminal and civil litigation against priests involves composing and mailing fundraising letters to supporters to fund their defense; receiving and bank roll funds for distribution to legal or canonical case costs; facilitating interaction between attorneys in our network; escorting priests to court and in the public arena when their protection is at risk; accompanying them during penal procedures like booking, house arrest, incarceration, or any court ordered discipline; appearing in the media to assist the defense team.
  • Pre-Employment skills training, job search assistance, funding for education.
  • Financial advice and credit recovery.
  • Work-based learning opportunities through OBS offices and departments.
  • Independent living skills advice when they must adjust out of the official church structure.
  • Our Lady of Priests Chapel is attached to our offices and is a place of "renewal" and prayer for priests in crisis. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved here by permission of the Archbishop.
  • Opus Bono Sacerdotii offices where priests come to utilize extensive resources specific to the Catholic priestly life.
  • Facilitating spiritual direction and psychological counseling to competent orthodox spiritual guides and professional Catholic psychologist or centers.www.opusbono.org is the largest support resource on the world-wide web for Catholic priests in need. Visits to www.opusbono.org average 60,000 hits per month and the traffic continues to grow.
  • “We love our priests” and “You are a priest forever” promotional materials.
  • Publications like the reprinting of The Duties and Responsibilities of the Priest by St. Alphonsus Ligouri.
  • OBS University which is an on line, on going formation community for priests.
  • Retreats and days of recollection for priests.
  • The Father Seelos Residences for Catholic priests.

“that this important work continues, is your sign that it is the Holy Will of God.”
Archbishop Felix Job, Archbishop of Ibadan, Nigeria in his homily
at Our Lady of Priests Chapel in the Opus Bono Sacerdotii offices.

Renewing the Catholic Priesthood

All validly ordained Catholic priests who are not ministering in a schismatic situation or who desire to be in union with the Supreme Pontiff are eligible for support.

Staff: The staff is comprised of experiencedlay senior management professionals with backgrounds in corporate turnaround, finance, operations and human resources, as well as clergy who have experience working with priests from various backgrounds, needs and circumstances.

Mission: An essential part of our mission is to encourage Catholic priests in their desire to grow in holiness. We renew the priesthood by loving non-judgmentally and by providing a wholesome spiritual environment. We want priests to feel loved, challenged, respected, and accountable as they strive to meet the demands of their unique priestly life.