Prayer Groups

Centering Prayer ... is a method of prayer, which prepares us to receive the gift of God's presence, traditionally called contemplative prayer. It consists of responding to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. It furthers the development of contemplative prayer by quieting our faculties to cooperate with the gift of God’s presence.

Centering Prayer facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer — verbal, mental or affective prayer — into a receptive prayer of resting in God. It emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God. At the same time, it is a discipline to foster and serve this relationship by a regular, daily practice of prayer. It is Trinitarian in its source, Christ-centered in its focus, and ecclesial in its effects; that is, it builds communities of faith.

Centering Prayer is drawn from ancient prayer practices of the Christian contemplative heritage, notably the Fathers and Mothers of the Desert, Lectio Divina, (praying the scriptures), The Cloud of Unknowing, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila.. It was distilled into a simple method of prayer in the 1970’s by three Trappist monks, Fr. William Meninger, Fr. Basil Pennington and Abbot Thomas Keating at the Trappist Abbey, St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. (From the website Centering Prayer maintained by The Contemplative Outreach Center of Boulder Colorado.) For more information on Centering Prayer visit the Outreach Center website at www.centeringprayer.com

St. Colette practices Centering Prayer during the special church seasons of Advent and Lent. For more information contact Mary Ellen Skene at 734-464-4435.

Lectio divina ....is an authentic source of Christian spirituality recommended by our Rule. We therefore practice it every day, so that we may develop a deep and genuine love for it, and so that we may grow in the surpassing knowledge of Christ. In this way we shall put into practice the Apostle Paul’s commandment, which is mentioned in our Rule: “Let the sword of the spirit, the Word of God, live abundantly in your mouth and in your hearts; and whatever you must do, do it in the name of the Lord.” Carmelite Constitutions (No. 82)

For more information about Lectio Divina visit the Carmelite website at www.ocarm.org/lectio/leceng.htm

If you are interested in forming a Lectio Divina prayer group at St. Colette please contact Mary Ellen at 734-464-4435.

Taize Prayer ....consists of simple meditative, repetitive chants, interspersed with several Scripture readings, a period of silence, intercessory prayer and the Lord's prayer. It is rooted and based in Christian Scripture and is an ecumenical form of prayer which bonds people together in Christian unity. Come and join us on during the Advent and Lenten seasons as we experience this beautiful prayer form.

For more information about Taize visit www.taize.fr/en

The Rosary.... " is a combination of vocal prayer (the Our Fathers & Hail Marys) and of mental prayer, namely, reflection on important events in the life of Christ and His Mother." (Dominican Fathers website) Here at St. Colette the rosary is recited before the morning masses on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and after the mass on Wednesday. Mass begins at 9:00 a.m.

To learn more from the Dominican Fathers about the rosary including how to pray the rosary and its Mysteries visit www.rosary-center.org/index.htm

Traditional Catholic Prayers
For a list of traditional Catholic Prayers and prayers not often recited visit this site put out by Loyola press. Also avail yourself of their three minute daily retreat. www.findinggod.org/m_frmwork.asp?id=2574