Inside A Prayer Group
By Jane Stucker
Being a Prayer Group coordinator is
changing me. I continue to grow spiritually. I take seriously the
responsibility of being there. How can I expect anyone else to make the
effort if I don‘t? I always make sure someone takes my place if I‘m gone..
Most of our members have e-mail, so I send a short reminder each week. The
Holy Spirit and Mary take it from there.
I try to make the environment holy and spiritual. Wednesdays
are easy because we pray during Adoration. But, for both groups I
bring the cross Fr. Fontaine gave us, and our Marian Vessel, (a crystal vase
which holds our prayer intentions). Thursdays we use the Cook Room at St.
Joseph's. There, I add lighted candles,
and a statue of Mary holding Baby Jesus.
At first, we prayed just the rosary novena of petition one week and the one
of thanksgiving the next. Then, we added a prayer to St. Monica and one for
vocations.
We use a different set of mysteries each week so we get to
use them all. At first, I did the reading. Then, everyone began taking
turns. I think it gives us all a feeling of "ownership" when we read some.
Someone also brings a prayer that changes each week. We end with a prayer
for priests.
I’m amazed at how faithful the people are. Last winter,
during an ice storm, many drove in from the country. Another time, the
tornado sirens were going off. I looked outside, and there was no
yellow-green sky, no big hail stones, so I just finished dinner and went to
church. Brother Joseph said no one would come; but, I knew they would--and
they did!
The hardest thing about being coordinator is that some weeks
there may be just a few people and I get a little discouraged. But, next
week the Holy Spirit and Mary will see that most of the group gets there.
When the group is small, I try to remember that the Lord said, "Where (only)
two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Jane is coordinator for 2 groups of about 25 members at St. Joseph’s,
Leavenworth, KS ♥
From "Silent Strength" The
Newsletter of the Marian Mantle Group, June, 2005
Copyright © Marian Mantle
Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint must be
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