News and Events
Praying the Word of God in Families
by Madeleine Marchildon
French parishes in the dioceses of Prince Albert and Saskatoon gather twice a year for a day of liturgy. L'Animation liturgique, formerly known as Alpec, has a mission to deepen and improve the understanding and meaning of liturgy. Participants' formation and engagement is brought about through conferences, studies of liturgical themes, scripture, sacrements and music.
November 5, 2011 marked the 35th anniversary of these liturgical sharing days. The day's overall theme for this session was how to "Pray the Word of God in our famlies." Bishop Albert Thévenot, in an outstanding presentation started by showing how Jesus as a child and youth was "...obedient, progressed in wisdom and grace in the good soil of his holy family. Bringing up children in today's society needs to be done in specific and planned everyday moments of prayer in a loving family environment. Families need to provide young children and youth with encounters in Scripture readings that are meditated, shared and prayed as as family. Witnessing of the faith of parents have a life-long effect on children." Thévenot warned against living empty rituals that have lost their meaning. He continued, "We need to rediscover the fullness of our gestures and rituals. We need faith-filled moments of silence to be able to listen to God speak to us in His Word and to listen to the realities of our daily lives. "Obedience," he said, "is not a negative submission like some might think, but a disposition needed to open our hearts to the call to live more fully our faith in Christ." He gave many practical ways of how parents can create experience moments of encounter in prayer that bring children into a personal relationship with Christ. using a Powerpoint, some 2011 World Youth Day pilgrims witnessed, with emotion, to the life-changing moments they shared on their journey to Rome, Assisi, Padul and Madrid where they saw Pope Benedict XVI. Their daily prayer and worship, sharing and fun moments created lasting family bonds. Many plan on going to WYD in Rio in 2013.
Taken from Vie liturgique, a french liturgical resource, the 2012 theme for the year "The hour has come" was presented by Sylvia Dion, Zenon Park.
Christ has come and we are witnesses of his on-going coming to each one of us. Saints like Saint Mother Teresa caring for the poor, Saint John-Paul II's leadership and Saint Brother André's healing of the sick show us the Spirit of God working in our times. The advent theme "Give us a sign!" can be developed throughout the four weeks of advent liturgy. For the first Sunday, we could find ways of being signs of justice; the second, signs of patience; the third, signs of joy and the fourth, signs of hospitality. The Christmas theme is a believer's prayer, "Be near, Lord Jesus!"
In the afternoon, Yvette Gareau, Diocesan Archivist for Prince Albert, walked us through the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture and the five steps of Lection divina as proposed by Pope Benedict XVI in Verbum Domini: reading, meditation, prayer, contemplation and action. All were invited to take the biblical passage which had been developed by Bishop Albert in the morning to go through the lection divina process silently. Following this, members of the Blais family witnessed to their faith growth through the monthly Cenacle gatherings. Since 1994, ten to thirty continue to meet for their monthly Cenacle of prayer, singing, sharing the Word of God after having had a good meal.
The day ended with the Eucharistic celebration. In his homily, Bishop Thévenot commented on the importance of family life being the "good soil" that Jesus talks about in the parable of the Sower, Luke 8. He said he was touched and challeneged by the witnessing of youth and others throughout the day. Liturgical days like this help prepare us to live our Sunday liturgies in a deeper, fuller way.
In the afternoon, Yvette Gareau, Diocesan Archivist for Prince Albert, walked us through the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture and the five steps of Lection divina as proposed by Pope Benedict XVI in Verbum Domini: reading, meditation, prayer, contemplation and action. All were invited to take the biblical passage which had been developed by Bishop Albert in the morning, to go through the lection divina process silently. Following this, members of the Blais family witnessed to their faith growth through the monthly Cenacle gatherings. Since 1994, ten to thirty continue to meet for their monthly Cenacle of prayer, singing, sharing the Word of God after having had a good meal.
The day ended with the Eucharistic celebration. In his homily, Bishop Thévenot, M. Afr. commented on the importance of family life being the "good soil" that Jesus talks about in the parable of the Sower, Luke 8. He said he was touched and challenged by the witnessing of youth and others throughout the day. Liturgical days like this help prepare us to live our Sunday liturgies in a deeper, fuller way.