Our parish at prayer Prayerbook sampler Look inside for one prayer from each of our 12 booklets t w en t y-t h i r d p u b l i c at i on s
Introduction Our Parish at Prayer is an inspirational series of 4" x 6", 32-page booklets to help people in the parish keep on praying long after the liturgy has ended. Indeed, when the Mass has ended, Jesus call to prayer has not. When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father in secret. Matthew 3:3 Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find: knock and it shall be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 8 In this sampler you will find a prayer from each of our twelve booklets to give you a taste for how beautiful and meaningful they are. We hope you will agree and make these very affordable booklets available to all your parishioners. 1
booklets in this series Catechists Kathy Hendricks First Communion Kathleen Glavich, SND the Grieving Paula D Arcy Confirmation Candidates Connie Clark Parents at Baptism Patty Coleman Eucharistic Adoration Daniel Connors Parish Councillors Mark F. Fischer the Sick Sandra DeGidio Eucharistic Ministers Janet Schaeffler Catechumens and Candidates Kathy Kuczka Lectors Patricia Rice First Reconciliation Kathleen Glavich, SND
catechists Kathy Hendricks Come, Holy Spirit, and fill my heart with your grace. Grant me the gift of organization, so that I can craft a well-structured yet flexible lesson. Grant me the gift of knowledge, so that I echo the message of Christ with fidelity and conviction. Grant me the gift of resourcefulness, so that I utilize materials with creativity and imagination. Grant me the gift of presence, so that I listen with respect and sensitivity to the children in my care. Grant me the gift of holiness, so that I ground each catechetical task in prayer and offer it in love. Come, Holy Spirit, and fill my heart with your grace. 3
First Communion Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND At his last supper with his friends, Jesus took bread and wine. He said, This is my body. This is my blood. Take and eat. Dear Jesus, you lived long, long ago before cars, TVs, or even forks. You came to a country far away from here. How lucky the people were who could see and hear and touch you! You gave us Communion so you could come to us too. The bread and wine are really you. Soon you will come to me. I can t wait for your visit. Are you looking forward to it too? Ask three people, a friend, a teacher, or a grandparent why they love to receive Jesus in Communion. 4
the grieving Paula D Arcy God, you didn t answer my prayers for a miracle. You didn t intervene and change my circumstances. For a long while you were silent. Now I look at the gift of life. I ve never thought about it so directly. What is life? Am I taking it for granted? This grief is like a searchlight, uncovering hidden things. I didn t get the life I wanted. I ve felt forgotten and left out. My heart hasn t been grateful. In losing my loved ones I ve felt ripped open. My illusions are shattered. I stumble a lot. Yet I m fighting to keep my heart open in spite of the emptiness and the tears. And life is right here, patiently waiting for me to look in its direction. An awareness arises that life is a gift of great significance, even if the veil covering its beauty and power is sometimes very thick. Show me more, O God. 5
confirmation candidates Connie Clark So my parents signed me up for confirmation, Lord. I don t know what I m supposed to do, or even why I m here. So not really sure what to say, but something tells me I should try praying. So Lord, a little help here? Maybe you can help me figure this whole thing out? Maybe you can show me what I m supposed to do? I m thinking I might meet some people here. Maybe make some friends. Maybe good things will happen. Maybe I ll change. Or grow or something. So why am I not as scared as I was a minute ago? Is that you helping me? Thanks, Lord. So stick around. Okay, Lord? 6
parents at baptism Patty coleman Lord God, we come to you as parents who instinctively talk to our newly baptized baby. We know this is how our child learns the importance of conversations where we laugh, play, and kiss away any sadness. So it is with you. We need to cultivate the habit of conversing with you from our earliest years, to thank you for the rainbows in the sky, for the ice cream and cake we enjoy, and above all for the opportunity to celebrate our faith with other believers. May we pause throughout our day to talk with you, our all-knowing and ever-present parent, in words of thanks as well as pleas for help. We believe that you are always listening, loving us, and helping us respond to the challenges of being parents. Keep us calm in the midst of our often-hectic activities, and may our closeness with you continue to grow as our child grows. Amen 7
Eucharistic Adoration Daniel connors Jesus, I am in your presence But I am not sure I should be here, Lord. I know I should be praising you and telling you how much I believe in you and how I love you above all things. But in the honesty of this meeting, face to face, I wonder if it s true. I am not sure what I believe, I am not sure I have a right to call you Lord, or friend. Part of me doesn t even want to be here. But I am here, I ve shown up, weak faith and all, and I ask that you take the poor offering of my presence and transform it through your presence, and nurture it with your love, so that I might leave here a stronger believer, more ready and able to feel your presence in my life, and to be your presence to all I meet and in all I do. Amen 8
catechumens and candidates Kathy kuczka Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, What are you looking for? John 1:38 O Lord, your spirit stirs within me, a newness I never imagined. I see the threshold before me. I hasten and hesitate at the same time. I think about what I m leaving behind. I know that crossing over means change, and that is scary. Then you appear in the smiles and embraces of a community who says they re willing to walk with me. They help me to trust. For their eyes tell me what it means to embrace the cross. Then comes my turn. I am marked all over with the sign of your pain and your promise. Tears well up within me. It s as if you are there, touching me, healing me. I promise to follow you now, to follow the gospel. Amen 9
parish councillors Mark F. Fischer I come before you, heavenly Father, as a person with a mission. I want to make wise choices together with my pastor for my parish community. We are a people who long to see your face. We are a people called to do your will in a wholehearted and generous way. I place myself and all the members of my pastoral council and parish before you and ask your continued blessing. I pray in a special way for my pastor. To him our bishop has entrusted this parish. Like a good shepherd, he is called to lead us to Christ and all that he has taught. He leads us in liturgy and calls us to worship. May my own work of study and reflection increase my understanding of how this parish might continue to be a place where people can worship together, pray together, and then go out to love and serve the Lord by boldly proclaiming the gospel message. Amen 10
the sick Sandra degidio, OSM Creator God, I need your help. My illness has made praying difficult. Its pain causes me to find praying a burden. This illness even makes it difficult for me to think of the needs of others. May the medication prescribed for me cure and call forth the healing powers of my body. I ask that this medicine, combined with my faith and hope, might restore me to health. I pray in union with you, loving God, and with all who desire my healing, that my return to health may soon become a reality. I place my trust in my healthcare providers, and especially in you. I desire to be healed, but I desire even more to accept your holy will. Amen 11
eucharistic ministers Janet schaeffler Gracious God, as I prepare to minister once again this weekend, help me. Protect me from taking this privilege for granted. Protect me from routine and repetition that could cause this sacred ritual to become lifeless. In these holy actions, so familiar to me, help me to see you and know your wondrous love. Renew in my heart a sense of reverence and awe. Inspire me to celebrate and minister at liturgy as though it were the very first time and perhaps as if it were the last. May I show a profound respect for all that is holy, especially your sacred Body and Blood, but also each and every person who will be gathered together in worship. Prepare my heart, loving God, so that it will be one with you, one with your people, before, during, and after this holy mystery. I pray through Christ my Lord. Amen 12
lectors Patricia rice Come, Holy Spirit, give me the right voice today that I might help those assembled at Mass to listen fully with their hearts and minds to your word. Let each word I say be fully enunciated, so they understand your meaning. Let my tone be expressive, so they appreciate every nuance. Let my voice be warm, so they are encouraged to respond to you with deep faith and love. Help them understand, through my proclamation of your word, what you are asking of them. Let my voice be joyful, when there is good news, so they will want to embrace it and live it. Let me use pauses and punctuations to allow them to absorb and reflect on your call to follow Jesus. Holy Spirit, let your words, not my personality or appearance, shine forth before all assembled here. Amen 13
First Reconciliation Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND Jesus said that a good shepherd looks for a lost sheep. When he finds the sheep, he gently carries it back. Dear Jesus, it s scary being lost. In a store if I don t see Mom or Dad, I m afraid. When I sin, I walk away from God, my good shepherd. Then I m a lost sheep. You worry about me, don t you? You call out to me. You want me to come home. When I m sorry for my sin, you rescue me. You are my good shepherd. After you ve been naughty, picture Jesus picking you up and holding you in his arms. 14
Afterword As you have seen, the prayers in these little booklets will help your parishioners keep prayer front and center in their lives. As St. Paul said in his letter to the Colossians: Pray without ceasing, be attentive to prayer and pray in a spirit of thanksgiving. We believe that a parish is an authentic community only when it sticks together all week long after the Mass has ended by living the gospel through daily prayer, mutual support, and loving service to all those in need. This is the goal of Our Parish at Prayer, and we re sure it s your goal as well. 15
Our Parish at Prayer There are several convenient ways for you to order Complete the postage-free order form with this mailing and send it back to us Call us toll-free 1-800-321-0411 Fax your order to us at 1-800-572-0788 Our Parish at Prayer booklet pricing 1 49 copies...99 each 50 99 copies...79 each 100 499 copies...59 each 500+ copies...49 each (You can mix and match the booklets and these prices still apply!) PO Box 6015 New London, CT 06320 www.23rdpublications.com
Our parish at prayer Our Parish at Prayer is a series of prayerbooks to help Catholics live the challenge of the Mass all week long. Each booklet offers its readers personal and inspirational prayers that relate to particular parish ministries, sacrament preparation, Eucharistic Adoration, and the daily challenges of living the gospel after the Mass has ended. 23rdpublications.com 1-800-321-0411