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Part 2—The Liturgy of the Word Year of Renewal in Worship and Prayer Archdiocese of San Francisco Prayer of the Faithful Prayer of the Faithful Prayer of the Faithful Prayer of the Faithful The First Letter of Peter calls the People of God “a royal priesthood” ( 1 Pet 2:9). This is not some pie-in-the-sky designation meant to puff up the faithful. In the Church’s Tradition, being baptized into Christ means being baptized into his priesthood, which involves both his access to God and his sacrifice. Within the priesthood of the faithful are rights and duties before God. In the Prayer of the Faithful, the baptized assembled for worship exercise their priestly role. That is, they stand before God the Father incorporated into Christ the High Priest, who intercedes on behalf of the world. We pray this way with the heart of Christ. We pray this way for people who may not have the wherewithal to pray for their own needs. In the Prayer of the Faithful, the vision of the Church is Christ’s vision — truly universal with an eye toward needs that God alone can meet. The spirit of the Liturgy of the Word is one of attentiveness. Just as we listen attentively to the readings and homily, just as we give our attention to each of the parts of the Creed, so we are called to internalize each of the intentions in the Prayer of the Faithful and give our full spiritual attention to them. Question of the Week Question of the Week Question of the Week Question of the Week • Which people, issues or situations do I see that should be For further reading: Lawrence J. Johnson, The Mystery of Faith: A Study of the Structural Elements of the Order of the Mass (Revised Edition). Washington, DC: Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, 1981, 2003. 50-52. Paul Turner, Let us Pray: A Guide to the Rubrics of Sunday Mass. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2006. 82-85. For your bulletin or newsletter Prayer of the Faithful Ritual Study “E” For ministers and study groups REMEMBERING the WORD of GOD Interceding through Christ, Interceding through Christ, Interceding through Christ, Interceding through Christ, the High Priest the High Priest the High Priest the High Priest “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” Hebrews 4:16 Content of the petitions. Content of the petitions. Content of the petitions. Content of the petitions. The Prayer of the Faithful should “express the prayer of the entire community” ( GIRM, n. 71). As a rule, the petitions should be offered “for the holy Church, for civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the salvation of the whole world” ( GIRM, n. 69). The introduction and concluding prayer. The introduction and concluding prayer. The introduction and concluding prayer. The introduction and concluding prayer. The Prayer of the Faithful is placed at the end of the Liturgy of the Word so that the assembly, strengthened by the Word of God just proclaimed, may enter into these prayers with confidence. It is to the assembly’s advantage that the presider introduce the Prayer with some reference to the Scripture or the homily recently spoken. The introduction is spoken to the people. The concluding prayer, however, is addressed to God. The Prayer of the Faithful is the action of Christ, not simply a gathering of supplicants. Thus, the concluding prayer should not be the Hail Mary or an oration addressed to one of the saints. The deacon’s role The deacon’s role The deacon’s role The deacon’s role. It is customary in many U.S. parishes for a lector to present the intentions to the people, and many do a fine job with that task. However, the GIRM n. 177 identifies the deacon as the one who would normally announce the intentions when he is present. As one who is serving the needs of the community, the deacon is traditionally the one “in the know” regarding those who need the prayer of the Church. In masses in which a deacon serves, it would be most appropriate to assign the role of announcing the Prayer of the Faithful to him. For Discussion For Discussion For Discussion For Discussion • In general, do the intentions included in the Prayer of the Faithful in our community fulfill the purpose of the Prayer? • Guided by the norms of the GIRM, are there any adjustments our community should make to the way we are entering into the Prayer of the Faithful? For Faith Sharing For Faith Sharing For Faith Sharing For Faith Sharing • My usual experience of praying the Prayer of the Faithful can be characterized as ...
