Lord, Don't Hear My Prayer

[peach_cube]

I have often done the same thing during petitions. Hearing some of them they just seem out of place, or just plain stupid. In my opinion we should always petition for the conversion of sinners, vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and those who have died or are in need of healing.

[Resurrexi]

When I used to attend the Novus Ordo Missæ (I now attend the Traditional Latin Mass by indult of His Excellency every Sunday) I usually just knelt quietly during the petitions because I many times felt that they were ambiguous, stupid or not worth praying for (which was of course not to blame on the Rite itself but on the priest, person, or persons from that parish where the Mass was said who wrote the petitions).

I would prefer it if the petitions at the Novus Ordo Missæ were more like those at the Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy, i.e., the same at every Liturgy throughout the Rite.

Edited February 15, 2007 by StThomasMore

[Socrates]

Yeah, I definitely agree with Weigel here - mass prayer petitions too often sound like thinly veiled Lefty propaganda. lol

My parish is pretty conservative, but at least in the past (haven't actually payed that much attention lately), they would read generic prayer petitions given by the USCCB, which would typically say things such as, "That leaders of world governments will work together to ensure just distribution of the earth's resources."

Too many of them just sounded like variations on: "For more global world-government socialism, Lord hear our prayer."
I would usually half-heartedly mumble along, while really praying something like "For an end to liberalism in the Church . . ."

This is typical of why I despise the USCCB.

[beatty07]

way to go Mr. Weigel. That's a big pet peeve of a lot of us I think. "That the leaders of the Church will come to their senses and adopt Protestant Liberalism as the will of God, let us pray to the Lord." Well, okay, that's not EXACTLY what it said.

sometimes I think we can look too hard, like we want to be offended, though. I mean, is anybody actually opposed to world leaders working together to ensure a just distribution of the world's resources? It's only a problem if you make certain assumptions about what is meant by 'just' and for that matter 'work' and 'resources.' If the words are taken at face value, well, I think we're all for it. Sometimes maybe the USCCB isn't quite as liberal as people think, though they might adopt some of the catchphrases. At any rate, I respectfully submit that it isn't at all okay to despise them.

[Lil Red]

i like the petitions in the Magnificat booklet

[Resurrexi]

Something like this would be good:

PRIEST: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For peace from on high, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For peace in the whole world, for the well-being of the holy Churches of God and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For our holy universal Supreme Pontiff N . . ., the Pope of Rome, for our most Reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N . . . , for our God-loving Bishop N . . ., for the venerable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, for all clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For our civil authorities and all our armed forces, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For this city (or: for this village, or: for this holy monastery), for every city, country, and for all-living therein with faith, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For good weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For those who travel by sea, air, and land, for the sick, the suffering, the captive, and for their safety and salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: That we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, and need, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Help, save, have mercy and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

[MissScripture]

I thought of this article today in theology, because our prof. was talking about the "Our Father" and how we don't really think about the meaning behind it, but sort of say it by rote. And if we really think about it, do we want to be saying that? It's almost a dangerous prayer, with things like, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" we are held accountable.

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1197010' date='Feb 16 2007, 12:57 PM']i like the petitions in the Magnificat booklet[/quote]

I really enjoy that book of daily readings, etc. Its awesome! Morning and evening prayer too....

[bonoducchi]

I came across this article a few months ago and agree with the overall ideas expressed. Those who compose the prayer of the faithful, charged to excersize their baptismal priesthood (GIRM 69), should follow the general series outlined in #70 of the GIRM. Its a fine line that must be walked between praying for things that challenge us to lives of justice and attempting to advance our own political views through the Liturgy. In my estimation, the ideal situation is one in which the prayers, following more or less the series of intentions outlines by the GIRM, relate back to the readings of the day. as a conclusion of sorts to the Liturgy of the Word just clebrated.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='VaticanIILiturgist' post='1197182' date='Feb 16 2007, 05:12 PM']I came across this article a few months ago and agree with the overall ideas expressed. Those who compose the prayer of the faithful, charged to excersize their baptismal priesthood (GIRM 69), should follow the general series outlined in #70 of the GIRM. Its a fine line that must be walked between praying for things that challenge us to lives of justice and attempting to advance our own political views through the Liturgy. In my estimation, the ideal situation is one in which the prayers, following more or less the series of intentions outlines by the GIRM, relate back to the readings of the day. as a conclusion of sorts to the Liturgy of the Word just clebrated.[/quote]

Laypersons should not compose the petitions at the Novus Ordo Missæ. That should be done by priests only (though I am of the opinion that there should be some precomposed prayers in the Novus Ordo Missal that state exactly what is to be prayed for at every Novus Ordo Mass, such as those which I posted above which are prayed at the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom). I also think that you are wrong that the "baptismal priesthood" gives you any rights to do anything but to hear the liturgy. Is this so called "priesthood of the faithful" even a Divenly Revealed Dogma?

[Maggyie]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1197198' date='Feb 16 2007, 07:58 PM']Is this so called "priesthood of the faithful" even a Divenly Revealed Dogma?[/quote]

I think it comes from "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9)

[bonoducchi]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1197198' date='Feb 16 2007, 06:58 PM']Laypersons should not compose the petitions at the Novus Ordo Missæ. That should be done by priests only (though I am of the opinion that there should be some precomposed prayers in the Novus Ordo Missal that state exactly what is to be prayed for at every Novus Ordo Mass, such as those which I posted above which are prayed at the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom). I also think that you are wrong that the "baptismal priesthood" gives you any rights to do anything but to hear the liturgy. Is this so called "priesthood of the faithful" even a Divenly Revealed Dogma?[/quote]

I won't argue this most common practice of American parishes with a 13 year old child. The GIRM does not limit the composition of the PoF to the ordained. If the prayer is called the Prayer of the Faithful, that implies a direct connection of the people to its content. Why would my prayer be less valid than that of the ordained, when I can pray the sameintercessory prayer in my bedroom and assume God hears it? Is my prayer less valid or important to God when I am in a Church building and in the presence of someone with a chasuble? Let us open God up to the people - the clergy do not own God.

[traichuoi]

[quote name='VaticanIILiturgist' post='1197631' date='Feb 16 2007, 09:46 PM']I won't argue this most common practice of American parishes with a 13 year old child. The GIRM does not limit the composition of the PoF to the ordained. If the prayer is called the Prayer of the Faithful, that implies a direct connection of the people to its content. Why would my prayer be less valid than that of the ordained, when I can pray the sameintercessory prayer in my bedroom and assume God hears it? Is my prayer less valid or important to God when I am in a Church building and in the presence of someone with a chasuble? Let us open God up to the people - the clergy do not own God.[/quote]

Age has no bearing on the ability to approach a discussion regarding faith, Truth, etc.

I think what StThomasMore was saying has nothing to do with whether or not your prayers are valid. StThomasMore is expressing the importance of having a set guideline of prayers (with good argument) would keep the prayer intentions from veering off what they were intended for in the first place.

I don't think it's a bad idea although there should be room to vary on prayers affecting the local community. Since we don't have a set of universal prayers, I don't think it would be a bad idea for the priests OR liturgical ministers (who, assuming, have been trained to write such prayers) to be designated to write said prayers. Lay people probably shouldn't be writing these prayers because how have they been educated to write prayers that should be directed in a specific manner? It is different from how you pray at home.