Prayers for Prodigal Catholics
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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
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