Prayer Partner Ministry Starting at St. Thomas
Prayer with a Partner
Prayer partnering is praying with another person that can eventually bring you to the real purpose of your faith, which is an intimate, daily, loving relationship with God.
~ Bishop Francis Quinn
Would you like to experience … A prayer of closeness with our Lord? A quiet, intimate yet private, personal prayer of noticing and waiting in faith? And then of experiencing his tender, loving renewal within you?
In faith we take our personal prayer to God, to Jesus’ loving heart, and within the gentle compassion of Jesus’ love, we wait for some inner movement or discernment. We stay with this as it unfolds and leads us to a new understanding given from his mercy and grace.
Sometimes we need someone else to pray with us or on our behalf. We may not have the right words or we may feel we need the strength of another person for support. Prayer with a partner is a ministry of prayer that will be offered the first Sunday of each month in the chapel following the 9:30 am Mass.
Come rest in the gentle arms of Jesus.
Would you like to be a part of this ministry but can’t physically be present as a partner in prayer?
If the answer to this question is yes, then you can be an at-home support partner in prayer. Home support partners in prayer are asked to commit to praying from home on the first Sunday of each month anytime between 10:30 and 11:15 am in solidarity with our onsite prayer partner team. Contact Annette Kubalanza at akubalanza@stapostle.org or 630.355.8980, x124 for details. All are welcome to participate!
Prayer Partner Ministry Starting at St. Thomas
Prayer Partner Ministry is a ministry of prayer and accompaniment for those seeking spiritual support. Prayer partners will be available one Sunday each month in the chapel, following the 9:30 am Mass.
If you feel called to this ministry please contact Annette Kubalanza at akubalanza@stapostle.org or 630.355.8980, x124 for information.
Praying with a Partner
As I stood up after receiving communion one Sunday morning, I turned, not to return to my seat as I always do, but to walk over to a prayer partner who is available to pray with anyone during this part of our service. It felt awkward to walk over, not knowing how this was going to go or what I would tell her about my prayer need.
Why was I being prompted to ask for prayer when I’d already been in deep prayer over this particular item? Why did I need to have someone else pray for me?
I knew I was supposed to pray with her that morning, so I kept putting one foot in front of the other and walked over. I didn’t get many words out, but she prayed anyway. What struck me most about this prayer was that it forced me to stop talking and just listen. I’d been doing a lot of praying about this particular issue, but not much listening. Her prayer that morning guided me into a moment of stillness with God.
~ From Pray Deep by K. Shirey 2018
Sometimes we need someone else to pray on our behalf. We may not have the right words or we may feel we need the strength of another person for support. Prayer with a partner is a ministry of prayer that will be offered the first Sunday of each month in the chapel following the 9:30 am Mass.
Prayer Partner Ministry Coming to St. Thomas
“Don’t be afraid to try to deepen your relationship with God, to seek the Lord through prayer and through living the spiritual life vibrantly. It’s a commitment, but the rewards are tremendous — to have that relationship with God, to know God’s presence not only in prayer but in the midst of daily life, and to be able to seek and find God in all things.” Pope St. John Paul II
Over the next few weeks some of the important questions regarding prayer and the benefits of praying with a companion will be addressed. Prayer partners will be available one Sunday each month in the Chapel following the 9:30 am Mass beginning with the first Sunday in February.
Does everyone need a prayer companion?
The answer to this question depends on the individual. How are you tuned in to God’s presence? Are you aware of what God is doing in your life? Sometimes we need to be reminded of these questions because sometimes we forget that we are God’s cherished sons and daughters. It’s at these times that we may need help in hearing God’s voice and feeling his presence.
When is the right time?
Life has a way of inviting us into a deeper prayer experience. For example, you might need to make a difficult decision, and so you want someone to pray with you, to join you in listening to God and how God might be leading you. Or maybe an old wound has surfaced and you want to bring it before God in a prayerful posture, waiting to see what He has to say to you. Or maybe you may want to nurture your relationship with God, deepen your prayer life, to be closer to God. Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a loved one or of a cherished relationship.
Whatever the reason God is inviting you to pray, praying with the support of a companion is a holy practice. Jesus said, “where two or three are gathered, there I am with them.” Matthew 18:20. All are invited to accept the invitation.
Prayer Partners available following the 9:30 am Mass in the Chapel Sunday, February 2.
What is a prayer partner and why do I need one?
Simply stated a prayer partner is someone who supports and accompanies others in prayer. In my own experience, I have found having a companion in prayer to be a great help to me in that I have someone to sit with me in the silence, to prayerfully listen to what is stirring in my heart and not to have any specific agenda other than being together in God’s presence.
What exactly do prayer partners do?
They help others attend to God’s presence and revelation and prepare to respond to him. In short, prayer partners support us as we discern God’s voice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: God calls us first. In prayer, our own first is a response to God’s initiative (CCC2567). Prayer partners support this response.
Next week: Does everyone need a prayer companion? When is the right time?
Questions? Contact Annette Kubalanza at akubalanza@stapostle.org or 630.355.8980, x124.
