The Prayers of the Faithful are an important part of our Eucharistic celebration and a ministry to the congregation and readers of the Bulletin. These prayers, written by volunteers from both parish communities, give us the opportunity to pray for specific concerns or needs we have as Christians and as members of the OLHC and SFX communities, as well as praying for matters relating to the universal Church. Each writer of the prayers has their own style and/or take on what is important to pray for, and while there is a suggested format, it can change depending on the particular needs of that week.

Usually, there is a prayer for the whole Church, which may include the pope or other leaders as well as the members. There is the usual custom to pray for anything relevant to our parish or the wider community/world, e.g., a prayer for peace, or a prayer for some specific problem or difficulty, e.g., a disaster (fires, floods etc.). Sometimes a prayer for families is relevant, or for those receiving the sacraments. The Prayers of the Faithful usually finish with a prayer for those who are ill and a prayer for those who have died and/or have anniversaries.

Some of the writers pay specific attention to the readings for that Sunday, so their prayers may be written around a theme. An important point to remember is that there should be no more than seven prayers in total, and fewer prayers are quite acceptable! Ideally, each individual prayer should not be too long – ‘shortish and sweet’ is good. There also needs to be a brief introductory statement and a concluding prayer. So, because of the importance of this ministry, we are seeking more volunteers to join the somewhat small group we have at the moment. The prayers ideally are written early in the week and forwarded to Kate Kogler by Wednesday or early Thursday at the latest. You don’t have to be a Shakespeare, just a person who is willing to share their faith in this way!

For further information, or to put your name down, please contact Kathleen Nolan on 0432 391 105 or email maeka@optusnet.com.au

Roster for writing Prayers of the Faithful for Risen Christ Parish Masses and Bulletins.

Bulletin Roster Notation: PRYR