Prayer in the Period of Evangelisation
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RCIA Network Conference
4-6 July 2012
High Leigh Conference Centre
Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens
The prerequisite for making this first step
is that the beginnings of the spiritual life
and the fundamentals of Christian teaching
have taken root in the candidates.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 42.
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What are some of the characteristics
of a “spiritual life”?
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 Uncatechised and unbaptised


People who may have no faith background at all.
May have led deeply spiritual lives in another
faith tradition.
 Uncatechised and baptised

Baptised – usually as infants – but no follow-up in a life of
Christian faith.
 Uncatechised, baptised Catholics who have
yet to complete their initiation



Often baptised at behest of grandparents.
May have made First Holy Communion.
May have attended Catholic schools and know about Faith
but may not have appropriated for themselves.
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.
For the Christian community is never closed in upon itself.
The intimate life of this community –
the life of listening to the Word and the apostles' teaching,
charity lived in a fraternal way,
the sharing of bread
this intimate life only acquires its full meaning when it becomes a witness,
when it evokes admiration and conversion,
and when it becomes the preaching and proclamation of the Good News.
Thus it is the whole Church that receives the mission to evangelize,
and the work of each individual member is important for the whole.
Evangelii Nuntiandi 15
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cf Evangelii Nuntiandi 21
Through their witness, Christians stir up irresistible
questions in the hearts of those who see how they live:
 Why are they like this?
 Why do they live in this way?
 What or who is it that inspires them?
When and where might witnessing our prayer
stir up such irresistible questions?
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What might trigger the attraction?
What might people be seeking?
What do they bring with them?
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The Good News proclaimed by the witness of life
sooner or later has to be proclaimed by the word of life.
There is no true evangelisation
if the name,
the teaching,
the life,
the promises,
the kingdom
and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth,
the Son of God are not proclaimed.
EN 22
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During this period, priests and deacons,
catechists and other laypersons
are to give the candidates
a suitable explanation of the Gospel.
RCIA 38
(T)here must be evidence of an intention
…
to enter into a relationship with God in Christ.
cf RCIA 38
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Praying with Scripture
 Finding our way around…
• Landscapes of the Bible – inner landscapes
• The Story of Salvation
 Imaginative Contemplation
• Building a relationship with Jesus through entering into the Gospels
 Lectio Divina
• God speaking to my heart
 Rosary
• Joys, Light, Sorrow and Glory of Jesus’ life in the company of Mary
 Psalms
• Using the psalms as prayer book
God’s Story – My Story
• Experiences of my life and echoes
in the lives of people in the Bible –
literally and metaphorically.
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From evangelisation, completed with the help of God,
come the faith and initial conversion
that cause a person to feel called away from sin
and drawn into the mystery of God’s love.
The whole period of the precatechumenate
is set aside for this evangelization,
so that the genuine will to follow Christ
and seek baptism may mature.
RCIA 37
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Drawn into the Mystery of God
Finding God in all things
• Creation – Prayer walks, etc
God at work in history
•
Reflecting on God’s hand in Creation – through history –
the life of Christ – growth of Church, etc
God immanent and transcendent
• Mantra into silence
The Liturgy as encounter with Divine
• Possibly limited at this stage but may have been what drew
people…
God beyond words
• Using art/ music/ non-verbal prayer
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Drawn into the Mystery of God
Ideas for non-verbal prayer stations
 Sand
 Holding Cross
 Lazarus 1
 Lazarus 2
 Stretchy person
 Egg timer
 Labyrinth
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They must follow in Christ’s footsteps
and conform themselves to His image
seeking the will of the Father in all things.
They must devote themselves with all their being
to the glory of God and the service of their neighbour.
Lumen Gentium 40
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Conforming Life to Christ
 Reflecting on my life in light of the Gospel
• Ties in with God’s Story – My Story above.
• What/who have been my gods?
 What would Jesus do?
 Who is Jesus?
 Bringing Jesus’ example into daily life.
Examination of Consciousness
• For what am I thankful today?
• Where did I conform my life to Christ today?
• Where did old habits/ self prove stronger?
• Asking God for help in putting things right/doing better tomorrow.
• Thanking God for gift of the day.
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During the precatechumenate period,
parish priests (pastors) should help those
taking part in it with prayers suited to them,
for example, by celebrating for their spiritual well-being
the prayers of exorcism
and the blessings given in the ritual
RCIA 40
How can we help people to prepare spiritually
for rites such as exorcism?
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Opportunities should be provided for them to
meet families and other groups of Christians.
RCIA 38
There must also be a sense of the Church,
and some experience of the company
and spirit of Christians through contact with a priest
or with members of the community.
RCIA 42
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A Sense of Church
 Catholic
Hospitality
Knowing what to do and what to say and when to do and say it –
and beginnings of why!
 Learning responses for Mass
 Learning gestures – using body as prayer
 Traditional prayers

 Prayer
Groups
 Trying different styles of prayer with “enthusiasts”.
 Visits to other churches
 Cathedral
 Historical churches
 Pilgrimage
 Local shrines
 International
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Prayer in the Period of Evangelisation
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RCIA Network Conference
4-6 July 2012
High Leigh Conference Centre