Prayer Ministry Models

These models are designed to provide options for pastors and ministry leaders seeking to promote deep personal prayer. This is a beginning list of many models for introducing and fostering lives of prayer. Add your own models, and/or combine ideas to make new ones.

When designing a ministry always consider:

  • audience and the common circumstances of their lives
  • goal
  • approach or components
  • time commitment or frequency
  • content or resource to be used
Domestic Prayer Model

Focus: Encourage prayer at home
Frequency: variable
Examples:

  • Simultaneous and parish-wide prayer-at-home intentional time for reflection and prayer
  • Elijah Cup families praying for vocations
  • Encourage parishioners to create a prayer table or prayer space in the home
Seasonal or Liturgical Model

Focus: Themed-based on a faith topic
Frequency: variable – Lent, Advent, Feast Days
Examples:

  • The Little Black Book for Lent
  • The Little Blue book for Advent
  • Parish Retreat or Day of Reflection about Prayer
  • Mass on the Grass/in the Park/by the Lake
Adoration Model

Focus: Provide opportunities for personal intimacy with God
Frequency: variable
Examples:

  • Make sure everyone – including families with small children – is welcomed.
  • Include brief opportunities for Adoration depending on audience
Small Group Model

Focus: Small faith communities with focus on prayer
Frequency: varies according to audience and goal
Examples:

  • Men’s Prayer Group
  • Women’s Prayer group
  • Teens, Newlyweds, Parents
  • Ecclesial Movement prayer groups
Traditional Model

Focus: Introduce spiritual practices and disciplines from the Catholic tradition
Frequency: variable depends on audience and goal
Examples:

  • Rosary explained
  • Novenas explained
  • Divine Mercy Chaplet explained
Digital and Social Media Model

Focus: Internet based prayer resources
Frequency: available 24/7
Examples:

  • Marian Minute
  • Prayer resources and daily meditation on parish website or Parish APP
  • Prayer resource highlighted on Parish Facebook page
Liturgical and Ministerial Model

Focus: Liturgy and preaching focused on prayer
Frequency: Sundays and weekday Masses
Examples:

  • Introduce traditional prayers, devotions, or sacramentals to the congregation
  • Living rosary explained
  • Stations of the Cross explained
  • A Walk through the Mass for children, for adults, or intergenerational

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