CONTINUOUS PRAYER FOR MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE.
WHAT
IS IT?
Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R., started this Movement of Continuous Prayer for Marriage & Family Life in 1998. He got 31 friends from various parts of Ireland to take a date for each month. Their task was to get at least 24 others – individuals, couples, families, groups – to take on a specific hour for that date to pray for Marriage & Family Life. It was organised in such a way that every hour was covered by at least one person. They were ready to start on December 1st 1998. Since then many other people have joined them in England, Scotland, America, and many other parts of the world. It is hoped that eventually every Catholic parish throughout the world will take on this very important prayer. It is also hoped that other Christian Churches and other religions will develop their own form of this prayer.
WHY
THIS MOVEMENT?
Most people are aware of the disintegration of marriage & family life that is taking place today in what is called the First World. There is almost a sense of helplessness about it all. It’s as if it is all beyond our control. There is nothing we can do about it. This sense of helplessness makes people despair, or it makes them stand in judgement on the people of this generation. There is something we can do to take charge of the situation. We can pray. Sometimes we think that prayer in circumstances like this is another act of desperation. It is that but it is also a lot more. Prayer is the greatest power given to us by God. It is the power by which we accept all that God wants for us and for our world. Prayer is not about trying to persuade God about what is good for us. God already wants that. It is we who have to accept it and live it. This Movement of Prayer for Marriage & Family Life does that through all those who take on this commitment of what is a generous time of an hour each month, and a specific hour around which other things have to fit.