Prayer is at the heart of our spiritual life.
2023-24: Year of Prayer
Pope Francis has, in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year 'Pilgrims of Hope', designated 2024 as a Year of Prayer. It started on Sunday 3 December, the First Sunday of Advent. There is a particular focus on the Our Father, which presents us with a great opportunity to go back to the basics of prayer.
Every Catholic is encouraged to reflect on their life of prayer: what they pray, how they pray and why they pray. This is for two reasons:
1) To encourage Catholics to deepen their prayer life and love of God;
2) For each Catholic to help at least one other person to pray during the Year of Prayer.
At St Erconwalds there are various opportunities for prayer, in addition to our weekday and weekend masses.
Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament
Bishop Richard, in his pastoral plan published on 2nd January 2024, encourages us to come along to Adoration.
What is Adoration?
If you've never 'been' to Adoration before, or aren't sure what it's all about, the diocese has produced a really helpful leaflet:
Adoration A4 2024. Some refer to it as "intimate time with the One who loves us": spending time in Adoration draws you into intimacy with him.. Others describe it as “looking at Jesus, looking at me". Adoration is a time to connect with Our Lord and relax in his presence. As we get closer to Jesus, he gives us wisdom, guidance, and strength for our journey of life.
How do I pray when I am with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament?
There are many ways to pray, but three major ones: vocal – talking to God like he is your best friend, Meditation – thinking about God; and Contemplation – simply being with God. The leaflet mentioned above has some suggestions to help you.
Adoration takes place on Tuesdays in the church from 6.30-7.30pm (followed by Mass at 7.30pm) , and on Saturdays after the 9.30 am mass until 10.30, and is followed by Benediction.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
We have a Divine Mercy prayer group that meets in the church after the 9.30 mass on Fridays.
The Origin of the Chaplet
In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, and revealed to her the depths of His mercy. St. Faustina entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925, but she passed away just thirteen years later from tuberculosis in 1938. Throughout her life of holiness, she continually received revelations from Jesus and diligently wrote down what He told her in her diary. In 1935 an angel appeared to Faustina, and she heard the call to pray for mercy. The next day, Christ appeared and urged her to pray the Chaplet herself and with others. St. Faustina was canonised by St. (Pope) John Paul II on April 30, 2000.
The divine mercy chaplet can be prayed with rosary beads, and is prayed by Christians around the world as they pray for mercy. For further information see: How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Hallow: #1 Catholic App
You're welcome to join at any time - just come along or contact the office or Fr Ruslan if you'd like further information.
Praying the rosary
See our dedicated pagefor praying the rosary: Rosary - St Erconwalds
Online prayer and spirituality resources
There are many online resources to help you pray daily, each with their own particular flavour and charism. Most have apps you can download. Take a look and see what speaks to you to support you in your daily prayer life.
Diocesan resources
The diocese has a number of resources, including suggestions of how you can pray with your children. See here for general resources: Prayer | Our Catholic Faith (abdiocese.org.uk), and download the guide to family prayer here: Guide to Family Prayer (website-files.com)
The diocese also offers spiritual accompaniment - the real agent of our spiritual progress is the Holy Spirit, however, one-to-one accompaniment with a confidential guide can help us to see and appreciate the way the Spirit is already acting in our lives. In today’s changing world, increasing numbers of people are discovering how helpful it can be to have someone walk alongside them on their journey of faith. See here for information: Spirituality Network Trifold 2023 Final.pdf (website-files.com)
External resources
Sacred Space - Your daily prayer online
Pray as you go - Pray as you go (pray-as-you-go.org). Pray as you go is a website and app that offers Ignatian prayer, music and podcasts for daily prayer, including how to pray Lectio Divina.
The Bible in a year: The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) on Apple Podcasts; The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) [All Episodes] - YouTube
The Catechism in a year: The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) on Apple Podcasts
Bishop Robert Barron's weekly homilies: Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons - Catholic Preaching and Homilies on Apple Podcasts
And his daily reflections: Daily Gospel Reflections - Word on Fire
Every Catholic is encouraged to reflect on their life of prayer: what they pray, how they pray and why they pray. This is for two reasons:
1) To encourage Catholics to deepen their prayer life and love of God;
2) For each Catholic to help at least one other person to pray during the Year of Prayer.
At St Erconwalds there are various opportunities for prayer, in addition to our weekday and weekend masses.
Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament
Bishop Richard, in his pastoral plan published on 2nd January 2024, encourages us to come along to Adoration.
What is Adoration?
If you've never 'been' to Adoration before, or aren't sure what it's all about, the diocese has produced a really helpful leaflet:
Adoration A4 2024. Some refer to it as "intimate time with the One who loves us": spending time in Adoration draws you into intimacy with him.. Others describe it as “looking at Jesus, looking at me". Adoration is a time to connect with Our Lord and relax in his presence. As we get closer to Jesus, he gives us wisdom, guidance, and strength for our journey of life.
How do I pray when I am with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament?
There are many ways to pray, but three major ones: vocal – talking to God like he is your best friend, Meditation – thinking about God; and Contemplation – simply being with God. The leaflet mentioned above has some suggestions to help you.
Adoration takes place on Tuesdays in the church from 6.30-7.30pm (followed by Mass at 7.30pm) , and on Saturdays after the 9.30 am mass until 10.30, and is followed by Benediction.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
We have a Divine Mercy prayer group that meets in the church after the 9.30 mass on Fridays.
The Origin of the Chaplet
In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, and revealed to her the depths of His mercy. St. Faustina entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925, but she passed away just thirteen years later from tuberculosis in 1938. Throughout her life of holiness, she continually received revelations from Jesus and diligently wrote down what He told her in her diary. In 1935 an angel appeared to Faustina, and she heard the call to pray for mercy. The next day, Christ appeared and urged her to pray the Chaplet herself and with others. St. Faustina was canonised by St. (Pope) John Paul II on April 30, 2000.
The divine mercy chaplet can be prayed with rosary beads, and is prayed by Christians around the world as they pray for mercy. For further information see: How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Hallow: #1 Catholic App
You're welcome to join at any time - just come along or contact the office or Fr Ruslan if you'd like further information.
Praying the rosary
See our dedicated pagefor praying the rosary: Rosary - St Erconwalds
Online prayer and spirituality resources
There are many online resources to help you pray daily, each with their own particular flavour and charism. Most have apps you can download. Take a look and see what speaks to you to support you in your daily prayer life.
Diocesan resources
The diocese has a number of resources, including suggestions of how you can pray with your children. See here for general resources: Prayer | Our Catholic Faith (abdiocese.org.uk), and download the guide to family prayer here: Guide to Family Prayer (website-files.com)
The diocese also offers spiritual accompaniment - the real agent of our spiritual progress is the Holy Spirit, however, one-to-one accompaniment with a confidential guide can help us to see and appreciate the way the Spirit is already acting in our lives. In today’s changing world, increasing numbers of people are discovering how helpful it can be to have someone walk alongside them on their journey of faith. See here for information: Spirituality Network Trifold 2023 Final.pdf (website-files.com)
External resources
Sacred Space - Your daily prayer online
Pray as you go - Pray as you go (pray-as-you-go.org). Pray as you go is a website and app that offers Ignatian prayer, music and podcasts for daily prayer, including how to pray Lectio Divina.
The Bible in a year: The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) on Apple Podcasts; The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) [All Episodes] - YouTube
The Catechism in a year: The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) on Apple Podcasts
Bishop Robert Barron's weekly homilies: Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons - Catholic Preaching and Homilies on Apple Podcasts
And his daily reflections: Daily Gospel Reflections - Word on Fire