A message from Cardinal Grech to the bishops of the world: There is no council without prayers

Catarina Agorilios – Vatican City

Prayer is the medicine that moves us from our interiority to openness, to discovering what God continues to do in His Church, as will become clear in the council before us now. In a letter to the bishops of the world, the Secretary General of the Synod, Cardinal Mario Grech, called for prayers for the Synod of Bishops on conciliarity, Which begins on October 4, and the Pope quotes: “Without prayer there will be no Council.”

Majestic grace

It is mentioned in the message that the council is a spiritual event for prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit. He explains that the General Secretariat issued a solemn blessing to be recited at the end of Sunday Masses.

Bonformer

Cardinal Grech mentions the different forms of prayer; ListenFirst and foremost on the Word of God; WorshipWhich changes the heart’s outlook from sadness of surrender to astonishment at what God says to His church. intercessionIt is not a matter of submitting God’s will to our own, but asking the Lord to enlighten our hearts with the power of His life’s spirit; And finally Thanksgiving prayerthis treatment that always begins with the recognition that grace came first – “We were conceived before we began to think; we were loved before we learned to love; we were wanted before there were any desires in our hearts.”

Initiatives

Cardinal Grech’s call to prayer is one of a series of initiatives of remembrance Synodens Very spiritual in nature, including posting on the website www.prayforthesynod.va With participation Pope’s Prayer Network And that International Organization of Presidents (UISG) Special Synod prayer on the first Monday of the month since 2021. On September 30, an ecumenical prayer service is held. “Together – the gathering of God’s people“, sIf will be broadcast live from 16:30 on our website vaticannews.va, and will be followed by a spiritual retreat on October 1-3 for participants of the Synod of Bishops, in the days leading up to its beginning.