Prayer from the Wellspring

Prayer comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There is a wealth of traditional prayers that many of us learned by heart – which is quite different from learning by rote! They help to give us a vocabulary to express our praise – thanksgiving – petition – and intercession. Many other people have written prayers drawn from their experience of God and they too can speak to our condition – giving us words that we can make our own. The psalms, in particular, offer a wonderful resource that includes prayers for just about every human experience and feeling.

Prayer can be solitary and contemplative. It can happen on our knees (in a church or in a garden!) or in a chair – indoors or outdoors. This is where we give time and space to take prayer deeper into the wellspring that is the life of God within us.

Most people have times when this is what they want and need but many more find it helpful to pray with others – even if that prayer together is silent. They may pray together in small groups or as part of a community prayer.

There is a bank of resources for people who want to pray together here. It includes prayers for the Church’s liturgical seasons, penitential liturgies and liturgies in solidarity with those who have suffered abuse.

More ideas for praying together and alone will be added to this section of the website.

Archive

Resources prepared as part of Bishops’ Conference response to the Covid-19 crisis:

  • Vigil at Home
    Prayers to support the period of waiting when someone is seriously ill in hospital/ care-home.
  • When someone has died
    ideas for support and prayer
  • Simple support ideas
    some practical ways of supporting the bereaved at this time
  • Service of remembrance
    An outline and prayers together with ideas for preparation for a service for a group unable to attend the funeral and either in the same household or able to connect via social media