FROM the moment Brisbane archdiocese’s Pray 2010 initiative opened its doors on the evening of July 7 until the final note was sung at the closing Vigil on July 10, an atmosphere of prayerful reflection, learning, sharing and fellowship filled the broad gathering space of Clairvaux MacKillop College and St Bernard’s parish and school, Upper Mt Gravatt.
It was described as Archbishop John Bathersby’s “gift” to the Church, and his opening address reflected his long-term desire to bring the people of God together “in a gathering as large as Pray 2010”.
“I never dreamt of missing Mass on Sundays,” Archbishop Bathersby said of the childhood memories underpinning his faith and on-going desire to spread the Gospel.
“My grandparents were excellent Catholics … (and) my grandfather … had a profound effect on my life.
“I loved daily Mass even as a six-year-old.”
Archbishop Bathersby said the person of Jesus “fascinates” him “even more deeply” as time goes on and through Pray 2010 he wanted to gather together various faith-based campaigns in an immersion of prayer and spirituality.
During the opening presentation participants became more aware of the four focus areas of the gathering – that prayer “gathers, opens, transforms and sends” – through God’s Word, art, music, movement and symbolism.
Pray 2010 will “immerse us in a rhythm of prayer that gathers us together as a praying communion, opens us to God’s loving Word and Presence, transforms us through our encounters with God’s love, grace and healing (and) … sends us forth in mission to share God’s love with others”, Archbishop Bathersby said.
Keynote, workshop and prayer experience themes were based on these four focus areas.
Archbishop Bathersby also made reference to the numerous times prayer is mentioned in the Gospels.
Saying it was “a great joy” to be present at Pray 2010, opening keynote speaker Dr Donna Orsuto spoke on the theme “Jesus and Prayer” and also referred to prayer in the scriptures, particularly the Gospel of St Luke.
“All four Gospels show Jesus as a man of prayer,” she said.
“The Gospel of Luke – sometimes dubbed the ‘Gospel of Prayer’ – is where we have the most exquisite portrait of Jesus’ prayer and teaching about prayer.”
Dr Orsuto referred in detail to themes in and around the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane as well as his “last prayer on the Cross”.
“Jesus wants to pray with us and have us to pray with him,” she said.
During the days following, God’s Word continued to be shared throughout hundreds of workshops and dozens of prayer experiences including daily Mass, Taize meditation, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and Reconciliation opportunities.
The closing Eucharist on July 10, a non-ticketed gathering, continued to inspire, drawing together the collective and individual experiences of participants.
