“Lord Jesus, show me how to be more faithful to your will and your prayer for Christian reconciliation and unity. O Holy Spirit, kindle in me the fire of your love!”
– “Kindling the Desire” excerpt from In God’s Reconciling Grace, Bernard de Margerie, 2014
The Ecumenical journey is nurtured by prayer that is fervent, frequent and regular, private and public. A variety of resources are available for individuals and parishes in planning prayer for Christian unity.
Among these, the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle is strongly encouraged. This cycle of prayer is provided by the World Council of Churches to encourage prayer for ecumenical communities around the world. Each week of the year is designated for a particular region of the world.
The most common time for ecumenical prayer is during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This week is celebrated in January, between the feasts of St. Peter’s confession and St. Paul’s conversion. The PCE maintains a helpful webpage with resources for the Week of Prayer. In the city of Saskatoon there are numerous events during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Communities in other parts of our diocese also hold services for prayer together with neighbouring Christian churches. We invite you to tell us about the many ways that you pray for the reconciliation and unity of the Christian churches. Contact diocesan communications coordinator Kiply Lukan Yaworski at (306) 659-5844 or kyaworski@rcdos.ca
Another opportunity for ecumenical prayer has been the Good Friday justice and peace outdoor prayer walk, the Way of the Cross. For more information contact Myron Rogal at (306) 659-5841 or mrogal@rcdos.ca.
In God’s Reconciling Grace is a 2104 book of ecumenical prayers and reflections written and edited by Fr. Bernard de Margerie as a “school of prayer and discipleship.”
Excerpts:
Prayer for the world
(from the Week of Prayer 2000)
O God, under your wing you gather the whole of creation: praise and glory to you!
Help us to follow your will, to gather up all things in Christ.
Open our eyes to see the riches of your grace, so that we may open our mouths to proclaim the hope for the world which lies in you.
Help us to work for a world where people of different religions and cultures can live together in peace; for a just world where rich and poor share their resources.
Help us to use the gifts of your creation according to your wisdom, to the praise of your glory.
AMEN
Prayer for Christian unity
(from the Roman Missal 2011, Mass for the Unity of Christians, Collect 2, p. 1264)
Attend with favour to the prayer of your people, we ask, O Lord, and grant that the hearts of believers may be reunited in your praise and in repentance together, so that, with division among Christians overcome, we may hasten with joy to your eternal Kingdom in the perfect communion of the Church.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN