Praying in groups question

[Jennifer132]

Hi all! I am new to Catholicism, been attending Mass since Valentine’s Day. I recently joined a class at our parish on a weeknight. Since RCIA is over for the year, the people who were in RCIA and have now joined the church are now in a follow up class, which the deacon invited me to join. So they open the class in prayer. When they do the sign of the cross and say it, do I remain silent and just copy the gesture, or do I say the words too? Also, must all Catholic prayer begin and end with the sign of the cross? If the person says a memorized prayer like the Hail Mary, do the people in the class just listen or do they say it aloud with the teacher? No one in the class seemed to know what they were supposed to do either, so I couldn’t just copy the others! Thanks!

 

[LaetenturCaeli]

First of all, blessed be God for all the graces He has given you! Welcome, welcome, welcome.

…do I remain silent and just copy the gesture, or do I say the words too?

You can feel free to do either. Personally, I sometimes pray out loud, and sometimes I simply pray in my own head.

But the key is really to do this gesture with purpose and with at least a glance towards God. To do so mechanically is, of course, empty. AND … don’t forget that, as a Catholic, we can actually receive a partial indulgence for making the Sign of the Cross with due reverence. I think it’s a good idea to get into the habit of saying it prayerfully sooner rather than later.

Also, must all Catholic prayer begin and end with the sign of the cross?

To the best of my knowledge, no. However, I think it’s a good way of acknowledging that prayer is entering into an intimacy with the Most Holy Trinity, and of acknowledging His presence.

If the person says a memorized prayer like the Hail Mary, do the people in the class just listen or do they say it aloud with the teacher?

They can do either. But, once again, the key is to pray with the heart, and not simply with words.

May God continue to bless you, and may He draw you closer and closer into the beauty of the Sacramental life.

 

[LethalMouse]

Hi all! I am new to Catholicism, been attending Mass since Valentine’s Day. I recently joined a class at our parish on a weeknight. Since RCIA is over for the year, the people who were in RCIA and have now joined the church are now in a follow up class, which the deacon invited me to join. So they open the class in prayer. When they do the sign of the cross and say it, do I remain silent and just copy the gesture, or do I say the words too?** Also, must all Catholic prayer begin and end with the sign of the cross?** If the person says a memorized prayer like the Hail Mary, do the people in the class just listen or do they say it aloud with the teacher? No one in the class seemed to know what they were supposed to do either, so I couldn’t just copy the others! Thanks!

I am a firm believer that any earnest prayer rendered in any form would be met well…and know no rule that all prayers must have the sign.

The sign of the cross and its puropose (In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is the old form of “pray in my name”.

Sort of how protestants decided that “in Jesus’s name we pray” would replace the sign of the cross. It serves the same biblical funtion but the sign is more reverant of the whole trinity of God and the use of physical action being more effort required etc…

It also helps as a reminder imo of who we are

Also, I like to think of it like God’s phone number like dialing up a direct line and being surely connected.

 

[spiderweb]

Part of the reasons for the “formal” memorized prayers is so that everyone can join in as a community. You are not required to do so, but they often use those prayers so that you can.