“As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”
Acts 4: 31
- Take Ten Prayer Challenge: Challenge each member of the parish, young and old, to increase his/her prayer by ten minutes each day. Have each parishioner sign and bring to Mass a Take Ten commitment card to present at the offertory (son can challenge dad when coming home from work, “Dad, did you take ten this morning?” If not, “Dad, take ten right now and I’ll help mom with dinner.”)
- Create prayer cards for your parish/cluster evangelization efforts.
- At the beginning of Sunday Mass invite each to turn to a person, introduce by name, and claim as a Prayer Partner and then after the Prayers of Petition, take a moment for each person to pray silently for the needs of his/her prayer partner: http://livestream.com/SaintBenedictParish/events/5636341 (8:07)
- Distribute The Prayer Process cards from Dynamic Catholic: https://dynamiccatholic.com/four-signs-of-a-dynamic-catholic/prayer-process/
- Prayer petitions for evangelization at each Sunday Mass.
- Create an Intercessory Prayer Team for your parish/cluster: “The main duty of the Intercessory Prayer Team is to intercede for the pastor’s intentions and the events and initiatives going on in the parish. For example, when an encounter opportunity is taking place the Intercessory Prayer Team covers the whole event and all involved in prayer.”
- Create and be sure to keep updated and confidential a parish/cluster prayer chain.
- Offer an annual parish retreat.
- Offer a parish mission on prayer.
- Encourage members to join a prayer ministry group: Mothers’ Prayers: http://www.mothersprayers.org/index.php/en/, Charismatic Payer Movement: http://www.nsc-chariscenter.org/charismatic-prayer-group-resources/; Lectio divina is an ancient way of praying with Scripture: What is it? http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/catechesis/catechetical-sunday/word-of-god/upload/lectio-divina.pdf, Faith-Sharing Brochure using Lectio divina https://www.dbqarch.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/FaithSharebrochure.pdf
- Offer formation on prayer: Oremus by Ascension Press, http://shop.ascensionpress.com/t/category/study-programs/catholic-prayer/oremus, Prayer, Our Deepest Longing by Ronald Rolheiser: http://dynamiccatholic.com/book-program/book-program-book-catalog/
- Offer a rich variety of prayer forms: Eucharistic Adoration: “Adoration means entering the depths of our heart in communion with the Lord, who makes Himself bodily present in the Eucharist. In the monstrance, He always entrusts Himself to us and asks us to be united with His Presence, with His risen body.” Benedict XVI: https://www.dbqarch.org/eucharisticadorationbrochure/; Taize (a meditative, ecumenical Christian experience of prayer that includes silence and chanting, especially attractive to young adults of great or little faith): http://cruxnow.com/faith/2014/12/03/the-quieting-mystical-experience-of-taize-prayer/; Contemplative Prayer, “In the Christian tradition Contemplative Prayer is considered to be the pure gift of God. It is the opening of mind and heart – our whole being – to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond thoughts, words, and emotions.” http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/; The Rosary, https://www.kofc.org/en/resources/cis/devotionals/4772.pdf
- Offer online prayer options: https://www.dbqarch.org/offices/adult-faith/top-ten-websites/daily-prayer-and-reflections/