Intecessary prayers

[Justin_Mary]

Does each parish make their own list of intecessary prayers each week or do they come down from the diocese?

 

[Fauken]

I think it’s a bit of both. The bishop may direct his diocese to pray for certain things.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

My understanding is there are general areas they’re expected to pray for but the Parish comes up with the wording, and can also add some intentions of their own.

 

[Phemie]

The GIRM tells us what the general arrangement is supposed to be.

1. The series of intentions is usually to be:

a) for the needs of the Church;

b) for public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;

c) for those burdened by any kind of difficulty;

d) for the local community.

Nevertheless, in any particular celebration, such as a Confirmation, a Marriage, or at a Funeral, the series of intentions may be concerned more closely with the particular occasion.

Sometimes the Bishop will send in an intention to be prayed for for a particular month or Sunday.

How they’re composed usually depends on the parish. The CCCB has intentions in the missalette each week and usually the person doing up the intercessions in our parish uses those but you can buy entire volumes of intercession prepared for each season or each cycle (Years A, B, or C).

Intercessions for Mass

Inspired by her daily contemplation and meditation on the Scriptures, Carmelite Sister Mary Grace Melcher offers this book of deeply meaningful prayers of the faithful for every day of the year. Cycles A, B, and C for Sundays and the two-year cycle for weekdays are all included. These beautiful...

books.google.ca

 

[Justin_Mary]

The GIRM tells us what the general arrangement is supposed to be.

At risk of sounding like an idiot, what’s GIRM?

& thank you for your answer

 

[Dan_Defender]

General Instruction of the Roman Missal

 

[stpurl]

I’m all for prayer, but at least in my neck of the tundra, the intercessary prayers have gone from perhaps 3-4 short sentences like, “for the Holy Father, bishops, and priests, may they guide the faithful, Lord Hear our Prayer”, “For the people of this parish, Lord Hear our Prayer”, “For the sick and for those who have died, Lord Hear our Prayer”, “For our own special intentions, short pause, Lord Hear our Prayer”,

To: A good 10-12 prayers containing a paragraph or even two, “For the Earth and her children, that we may be careful stewards and guardians of the riches which she gives to us, and that she may be protected from all those who seek to exploit her and to use her greedily, we pray to the Lord, Lord we ask you hear our prayer”, etc., often including at the end invitations from Father to “You are encouraged to add your own petitions and ask for prayers” (pause, then an indistinct loud murmur from the middle of the Church followed by loud “Lord we ask you hear our prayer”. . .for all you know the person could have been asking for something totally wrong but oh well!)

 

[JohnLilburne]

For some Masses the liturgical books are quite prescriptive. For example a Mass with Confirmation has the rubric:

“30. The Universal Prayer follows in this or a similar form determined by the competent authority.” The last intercession given is:

“For the whole world:

that all people, who have one Maker and Father,

may acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters,

without discrimination of race or nation,

and with sincere hearts seek the Kingdom of God,

which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.”

With a Mass with a wedding the rubric is:

“69. The Universal Prayer then takes place in the usual manner (examples are provided in nos. 251-252).”

This has Appendix 1 “Examples of the Universal Prayer”. Two sets of prayers are given. The first intention of the first set is:

“That these faithful Christians, N. and N. ,

newly joined in Holy Matrimony,

may always enjoy health and well-being,

let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.

Or another appropriate response of the people. ”

The Roman Missal has Appendix V “Examples of Formularies for the Universal Prayer”. These are given under the following headings:

1. General Formula I
2. General Formula II
3. Advent
4. Christmas Time
5. Lent I
6. Lent II
7. Weekdays of Holy Week
8. Easter Time
9. Ordinary Time I
10. Ordinary Time II
11. In Masses for the Dead

For the first intention of Advent it has:

1a. That Christ may visit his holy Church

and keep watch over her always,

let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, have mercy, or Kyrie, eleison.

1b. That Christ may fill the Pope,

our Bishop, and the whole Order of Bishops

with spiritual gifts and graces,

let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, have mercy, or Kyrie, eleison.

[Excerpt from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Excerpt from the English translation of The Order of Celebrating Matrimony © 2013 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Excerpt from the English translation of The Order of Confirmation © 2013 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Yeah, at some parishes those intercessory prayers go on forever and sound pretty political. I’ll be honest, if they get ramble and overly social-justice-y I just tune 'em out.

I like the silent time for people to add their own intentions though. It gives you a chance to throw your own deceased loved one or personal crisis in there. I’m sure God is capable of saying No to anything not good. I’ll also admit I have sometimes silently prayed for patience with someone annoying me at the Mass.