The Lourdes Experience

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Madeline Owens
5 years ago
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1 The Lourdes Experience Guide for Sessions 24 and 25

2 Introduction: This guide is intended to aid you during the Lourdes experience in sessions 24 and 25. For the last several years, we have received a very specific calling to help bring people to Lourdes, and, even more uniquely, to bring the grace of Lourdes to people and specifically to the men of TMIY. In this guide, we will provide you with step-by-step information needed to help you implement this experience at your parish. Though we have made this guide available, please view the tutorial videos for the most indepth presentation of the details including helpful visuals. Spiritual Preparation: We have witnessed God working miracles through this experience. Here are a few recommendations whenever facilitating a spiritual experience. 1. Cover it with prayer in advance. Pray, Come Holy Spirit! 2. Let God be God and try your best to get out of the way and to be invisible. 3. Marvel in the miracles God can work in the human heart if we just give him the opportunity. Lourdes Experience: Session 24 Guide Here we share the practical steps needed to run the Lourdes experience in Session 24. Please note: Steve will introduce the Lourdes experience at the end of the session and will transition the group to this time of prayer with the Lourdes Background coming up on the screen. Here is the step-by-step guide. Step 1: Receive Lourdes Water We will send you a small holy water container that holds water directly from Lourdes. You should receive these at least two weeks prior to Session 24. Step 2: Pre-Preparation for the Lourdes Experience Items Needed: 1. A large basin to hold water. 2. Cups or glasses. Option #1: Small disposable cups can be purchased for the experience. Option #2: Customized Paradisus Dei Lourdes Glasses. Available in the Paradisus Dei store with limited stock on this memorial item. 3. Washcloths. These can be purchased from Amazon. 4. A box with a hole in the top. This will be for the men to place their List of Desires (page 59), List of Struggles (page 60), Spiritual Plan of Life (page 63), and My Little Steps to Nazareth (page 64). 5. The Lourdes Water. (Sent by Paradisus Dei) Step 3: Week 24 Preparation BEFORE You Begin the Video 1

3 1. Week 24 will conclude without small group discussions. 2. Have the Lourdes experience set up in your meeting place. The preference is to have it near the video projection because we will provide an image of Lourdes that you can keep on the screen. Simply press the pause button to keep the image visible. 3. In advance, fill the large basin with regular water from the sink, place the box out, and have the cups and towels ready. Step 4: Week 24 AFTER the Video 1. With all the men watching, have someone on the Core Team pour the Lourdes Water into the larger basin, thus mixing the water together. 2. There are two options for turning in your worksheets depending on whether you used the sheets from the Lent booklet or the sheets that were ed to you as 4 separate pages. Please only use one option for the entire group to avoid confusion. a. Option 1: Using the 4 individual worksheets that were ed to you. i. Have each man come up one at a time and place his first list (the list of desires) in the box. After he places his list of desires in the box, he will then be handed a small cup. He will dip his up in the basin and drink. Drinking symbolizes his thirst for God, his holy desires. ii. After everyone has had a chance to drink, each man should come up a second time. This time he places his second list in the box (list of struggles). He will then be handed a washcloth. Each man will dip the cloth into the basin of water and wash his face, symbolizing cleansing. iii. Please give a minute or two of time for prayer and silence after every man has received iv. his washcloth. When everyone is finished washing, each man can come forward and place his last lists into the box, his Plan of Life and Little Steps to Nazareth, which is how he intends to live his spiritual life. b. Option 2. Using the tear-out sheets from the Lenten Journey Book. i. Have each man come up one at a time and place his lists of Desires of the Heart and Struggles in the Spiritual Life in the box, page 59 and 60 (front and back). After he places his lists in the box, he will then be handed a small cup. He will dip his cup in the basin and drink. Drinking symbolizes his thirst for God. ii. After everyone has had a chance to drink, each man should come up a second time. This time, he places his Spiritual Plan of Life and Little Steps to Nazareth sheets in the box, pages 63 and 64 (front and back). He will then be handed a washcloth. Each man will dip the cloth into the basin of water and wash his face, symbolizing cleansing. iii. Please give a minute or two of time for prayer and silence after every man has received his washcloth. c. This completes the experience. Each man can remain in silence and exit on his own. Lourdes Experience: Session 25 Guide Here we share the practical implementation to making the beauty of Lourdes a reality for session 25. During this Lourdes experience we will be lighting a candle, praying a rosary, spending some time in silence, praying the Prayer to St. Joseph, and praying the consecration prayer to be an Apostle of the New Springtime. Steve will introduce the Lourdes experience at the end of the session and will transition the group to this time of prayer with the Lourdes Background coming up on the screen. Here is the step-by-step guide. Step 1: Pre-Preparation for the Lourdes Experience Items and Preparations Needed: 2

4 1. Candle - Bring a simple white candle to be lit during the prayer time. 2. Rosary - Please announce several weeks in advance that the men will need to bring their rosary. Several reminders may be needed. It will be helpful to bring extras as some men will forget. Also, it s optimal to pre-select 5 men to lead the five decades. 3. Prayer Sheet - Print out the Prayer Guide (Page 5) for each man. It includes the prayers that will be offered during this time. 4. Miraculous Medal (Optional) - There will be an opportunity to receive a Miraculous Medal at the end of this time of prayer. These will be shipped if the group either meets their recommended contribution level for the spring donation appeal or if they choose to order them. If you do attain medals, please make sure to have your priest bless them before handing themout at the meeting. We will have more information coming out about attaining the medals as the semester progresses. 5. Prayer Leader - Select a prayer leader to guide the group through this time of prayer. Step 2. Transitioning into Prayer Time 1. As with Session 24, Session 25 will also end without small group questions and you will use the same Lourdes grotto background image. 2. Once the image is on the screen, please have Prayer Leader give a quick breakdown of what the next several minutes are going to look like so the men know what to expect. Sample Script: We are going to spend some time in prayer. We will start by reciting the St. Joseph Prayer from the prayer sheet and will follow that with a small time of silent prayer. After this we will pray a rosary and conclude this with the Apostle of the New Springtime Prayer from the Prayer Sheet. (Optional - if the group has Miraculous Medals, they can announce that the medals will be handed out after the final prayer from within their small group). We will then conclude the meeting. If you want to hang around and spend some more time in prayer, you are free to do so. 3. As the Prayer Leader is making this announcement, have someone pass out the Prayer Sheet from the guide. Once Prayer Sheets have all been given, have your Prayer Leader light the candle which will signal that we are entering into a time of prayer. Step 3. St. Joseph Prayer and Silent Time 1. Have one of the core team leaders lead the men in praying the Prayer to St. Joseph that is found on the Prayer Sheet. 2. After this prayer, have the Prayer Leader encourage the men to spend a few minutes in silent prayer. Step 4. Rosary 1. After a few minutes of silence, have your selected person start praying the rosary. We suggest you pray the mysteries for whatever day you run the program. See the Prayer Sheet for the list of mysteries that correspond to each day of the week. Step 5. Apostle of the New Springtime Prayer 1. Upon completion of the rosary, we will pray The Apostle of the New Springtime consecration prayer to Our Lady. The prayer will be located on the Prayer Sheet. Step 6. Closing 1. (Optional) At this point, some groups will have Miraculous Medals to hand out to the men to conclude this time of prayer. If the group does not have medals, that is not a problem; you simply close with the sign of the cross after the prayer. 2. If you do have medals, have the MC/Prayer Leaders have everyone break into their small groups where the small group leader will place a medal over each member of their small group, followed by some sign of affection, which can be a hug or a handshake. 3

5 Lourdes Experience - Prayer Guide Prayer 1: The Holy Rosary Steps to Praying the Rosary 1. Make the Sign of the Cross. 2. Hold the crucifix and pray the Apostles' Creed. 3. On the first bead, pray the Our Father. 4. On each of the next three beads, pray the Hail Mary. 5. On the next bead, pray the Glory Be. 6. Announce the First Mystery, and then say the Our Father, ten Hail Mary s, and the Glory Be. 7. Repeat until five decades are prayed, announcing and meditating on each of the respective mysteries. 8. Pray the Hail, Holy Queen. 9. Finish by Making the Sign of the Cross. The Prayers of the Rosary Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Apostles Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory Be: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 4

6 Mysteries of the Rosary Joyful Mysteries: Monday and Saturday 1st Decade: The Annunciation 2nd Decade: The Visitation 3rd Decade: The Birth of Our Lord 4th Decade: The Presentation of Our Lord 5th Decade: The Finding in the Temple Glorious Mysteries: Wed. and Sunday 1st Decade: The Resurrection 2nd Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord 3rd Decade: The Descent of the Holy Spirit 4th Decade: The Assumption of Mary 5th Decade: The Coronation of Mary Sorrowful Mysteries: Tuesday and Friday 1st Decade: The Agony in the Garden 2nd Decade: The Scourging at the Pillar 3rd Decade: The Crowning with Thorns 4th Decade: Jesus Carries the Cross 5th Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord Luminous Mysteries: Thursday 1st Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord 2nd Decade: The Wedding at Cana 3rd Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom 4th Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord 5th Decade: The Institution of the Eucharist Prayer 2: Prayer to St. Joseph St. Joseph, mystery hidden from the wise and learned, but revealed to little ones. Take me to Nazareth and train me in your ways. Reveal to me the hidden face of Christ present in my children. Unveil for me the love of the Holy Spirit in my spouse. Teach me to manifest for them the Father who is rich in mercy. Help me to remove all evil from my heart and home, so that we might find union with God, who is dwelling within, and experience his love, peace and joy. Amen. Prayer 3: The Apostle of the New Springtime Prayer Heavenly Mother, Spotless Bride of the Spotless Lamb, Your children stand gathered together before you. With St. Joseph and the Apostle John we wish to bring you into our home, so that you may open to us the treasures of your Immaculate Heart. Reveal to us the hidden face of your Son, present in our midst. Teach us to trust in the abundance of the Father s mercy. Make us docile to the voice of the Spirit echoing in our depths. Grant that the seeds of grace sown in us would not be lost, but blossom forth into life everlasting. Dawn of Salvation, Star of the New Evangelization, Grant that the darkness may not prevail over the light. Together with Pope John Paul II, we consecrate ourselves to you in the mystery of your Immaculate Conception, Totus Tuus. Send us into the great mission field of the family, so that among all the nations, the praise of God may resound on the lips of infants and of babes. By the grace of God, in the Power of the Holy Spirit, help us to build a civilization worthy of the human person, created male and female, created to the image and likeness of the Triune God who is love. Amen. 5

The Prayers of the Rosary:

The Prayers of the Rosary: PRAYERS OF THE HOLY ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY The Rosary: A Prayer for Everyone The Rosary is a series of meditations on the mysteries of Jesus Christ. It is prayed by reciting certain prayers