The Holy Father Pope Francis in response to divine inspiration and in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025 declared this year 2024 as A Year of Prayer. A family that prays together, stays together.

In line with the Holy Fathers intention to reawaken the sense of Prayer in the world, the Parishioners of Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Monatan Ibadan mark the year of Prayer with a Parish Day of prayer on Sunday 28th of July, 2024 with the theme: Lord, "Teach us to Pray". The Programme Featured: Catechesis, Prayers, Question and Answers, Benediction and The Holy Mass.

The programme started with the people’s arrival at 8:00am for the unity gathering of all the parishioners to make prayer a key that opened God's heart. The Prayer event started with benediction where all the parishioners adored Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and also prayed the Divine Office together as a community of worshipers.

The second part of the days programe was devoted to catechesis on Prayer by Catechist Ibe Emmanuel assisted by Cat Adewoye, Family Catechesis by Sr. Fidelia Amoko SSL and teaching on the Eucharist and active participation by Rev Fr. Joseph Akerele. 

 

Catechesis on Prayer

The Speaker reminds all what catechesis is and our place in it. Catechesis he says literally means an instruction by words of mouth, basically the Christian religious education of adult and children. It is an indispensable aspect of the faith.

In the Lord’s prayer, the Lord Jesus too introduces the Apostles, and with them, all Christian, to what we now called the “model of all prayer” – Our Father.

It is a key step in the process of evangelization, promoting growth and maturation in the faith and has the task of educating for prayer and in prayer, developing the contemplative dimension of Christian experience. 

The ministry of catechesis is the responsibility of the entire Christian community nevertheless the bishop is the first preacher of the gospel by his words and by the witnesses of his life and the one primarily responsible for catechesis in the diocese.

Here, he dwells on the Importance of Proper Catechesis on prayer using the analogy of the encounter between Jesus and Bartimeaus. Prayer he said, is keeping company with God. It is a dialogue not a monologue.

A dialogue that starts from the heart and reaches the merciful heart of God, that can transform our lives. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes it as GOD’S GIFT to mankind.

Prayer is the BREATH of our FAITH. Making reference to the story of Bartimaeus a character in the gospel according to MK 10: 46 who showed us how to approach God in prayer knocking at the heart of mercy before making his request.

Note there's a voice in mankind's heart that invokes. We all have this voice within. A voice that comes forth spontaneously without anyone commanding it, a voice that ask itself about the meaning of our journey on earth especially when we find ourselves in darkness, " Jesus have mercy on me is a beautiful prayer".

He also emphasizes silence as an important aspect of prayer, so that as we speak to God in prayer, we also take time to listen to him.  

 

The family as a school of prayer

Prayer was also described as an active relationship with God. ‘It is a two-way spiritual relationship where we talk to God and also listen to Him.’

According to the speaker, the church has over times reaffirms the importance of prayer in the family and has reminded us how the first teachings received as children are the crucial ones that remain steadfast in daily life, even when we have grown up.

Hence the family is the place of teaching prayer to the children. As the child grows up, he or she will devote himself or herself to prayer following his or her parents’ example, learning to rely on the Lord even in the most difficult times, certain of His support.

St. John Paul II, in his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, recognized the importance of shared prayer in the family, because ‘in the family the human person is not only brought into being and progressively introduced by means of education into the human community, but by means of the rebirth of baptism and education in the faith the child is also introduced into God’s family, which is the Church’’ (FC, no. 15).

She gives examples of family prayer as: Prayer at table: before and after meals, Prayer at the beginning and end of the day: morning and evening prayers and Praying Lauds on Sunday.

As short as those moments of prayer may be, they remain a meaningful opportunity to pray together as a family, thanking the Lord for what we have received and praying for those most in need.

This period could be when family members prayer the Rosary together, read and share the bible, times for other catholic traditional prayers such as

We fly to you patronage

Prayer to St Michael the Arch Angel

Prayer to mr guardian Angel

Act of Contrition

The Ten Commandments

The church's Commandments

Act of faith

Acts of hope

Then we could make our spontanous prayer asking for all that we need in thanksgiving

Importance of family prayer and devotions

Praying together as a family has many positive benefits and not limited to: 

Family prayer is a sense of connection within a family unit.

Family prayer as a time of family togetherness and interaction

Family prayer as a space for social support

Family prayer as a means for intergenerational transmission of religion

Family prayer involves issues and concerns of individuals and the family

Family prayer provides feelings of connectedness, unity and bonding: 

Family prayer opens hearts to forgiveness: 

Family prayer teaches children to seek God first: Prayer is a natural parenting tool. Family prayer unites across differences: When we come together in prayer we are united in one faith. 

Prayer reminds us that we are to love one another, be kind, 

Family prayer promotes good health: Studies show that prayer lowers stress and inspires people to be kinder. 

Prayer also helps you age more smoothly, so you will be alive longer to enjoy one another more.

Family prayer inspires grateful hearts: 

Prayer brings blessings and peace to your home

Praying as a family brings you closer to God and closer to one another. 

Prayer blesses others

 

She advices that since many of us have received Prayer as gifts from our grandparents and other relatives, we to should pass it on to others.

 

Holy Eucharist and active participation

The Year of prayer also offers us a valuable opportunity to deepening and understanding the true meaning of the Eucharist. With the sense of awareness that the Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of all Christian life, the highest forms of prayer we could ever make to God, the parishioners were encouraged to Pray the Mass.

This they can do by preparing well for Mass, making the Sign of the Cross well, listening carefully to the Word of God, welcoming the Eucharistic Jesus into their hearts, avoiding distractions and be fully conscious of their presence before God.

The Catechesis session ended with moments of question and answers and the prayer for the Jubilee year. The whole event came to a close with the solemn celebration of the Holy Mass where the whole assembly celebrated the memorial of Christ’s for the salvation of mankind.