Fortnight of Guided Prayer Sunday 20th February – Sunday 6th March

In the coming weeks the chaplaincy is offering the second retreat in daily life of the year, accompanied by individual prayer guides.  The fortnight of Guided Prayer begins with a preparation meeting at 7:30 on Sunday of 6th week (20th February) and ends on Sunday of 8th week (6th of March) with a reflection and evaluation.

What is it?

It is an opportunity to explore different ways of praying in the middle of a busy life.  The prayer exercises offered are in many cases drawn from St. Ignatius’ of Loyola’s ‘Spiritual Exercises’, which present the essence of prayer as a dialogue between Creator and created.  A focused period of time, with the accompaniment of a prayer-guide, can help us to build moments of contemplation into our daily lives and to become more aware of how God speaks to us and leads us in our personal history.

How does it work?

Before the week begins you will be assigned a prayer guide and given a contact email address.  Your prayer guide will also be given your contact details, but we ask you to make first contact and to arrange with your guide times during the fortnight when you would be able to meet from 6 – 7 times for half an hour (or perhaps a little longer).

At 7:30 on Sunday 20th February, we all meet together at the Chaplaincy for the opening of the week.  There will be an introduction and some general advice on how to begin, and we will do a couple of prayer exercises together.  You will be asked to find some time during each day to pray perhaps twice for between 15 and 30 minutes and you are recommended to have a regular place for this.  During the period of the retreat you will meet your prayer guide to talk through matters arising from your prayer experience and discern where you might turn to next.  At the end of the fortnight, on Sunday, 6th March we will have a shared reflection and conclude the week.

What now?

If you would like to participate in this week, email Fr John as soon as you can (moffsj@yahoo.com) and I will send you the contact details of your Prayer Guide.  You arrange times with them and then just show up to the first meeting next Sunday.

The Programme

5th Week: If you are interested please make contact Fr. John on moffsj@yahoo.com as soon as possible and he will assign you to a prayer guide.   We ask you to make the initial contact with your prayer guide to arrange 6 or 7 meetings in the course of the fortnight.

Sunday 20th February, 7:30.  Introduction to the week, introductions and prayer exercises.

6th Week 3/4 individual meetings with your prayer guide

Sunday 27th February, 7:30.  Meeting to share experience and to reflect on Ignatian prayer (optional but strongly recommended)

7th Week 3/4 individual meetings with your prayer guide

Sunday 6th March, 7:30 Final meeting for reflection and evaluation

Support material available: http://sacredspace.ie/, http://www.pray-as-you-go.org.uk/

The Team

Sr. Silvana Dallanegra RSCJ

Silvana is a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart, and lives in their community in Norham Gardens, where the sisters run a hostel for 23 students. You’ve probably already seen her in the chaplaincy; she is ‘spiritual adviser’ to the SVP group, and comes to Mass, Pasta Plus and other events. She has accompanied students on previous retreats, and has also accompanied people in parish-based weeks of guided prayer.
Silvana studied theology at Heythrop, where her fellow-students included Frs Simon and Roger. She recently completed an MA in Coaching & Mentoring Practice.

Sr. Judith Lancaster SHCJ

Judith is a member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. She has a background in education and a lively interest in spirituality. She is a spiritual director with much experience of retreat giving, in daily life and in residential settings. She currently works at the Cherwell Spirituality Centre in Norham Gardens and has enjoyed contact with the chaplaincy for some years now.

Fr. Simon Bishop SJ

Fr. John Moffatt SJ

Fr. Brendan Callaghan SJ
Brendan works as a retreat director and spiritual director alongside his main missions of the care of Jesuit communities, university teaching and leadership, and the formation of young Jesuits. He also runs workshops for retreat-givers and others mostly around issues of affectivity and sexuality.  He has also been involved with guiding participants in the recent BBC programme The Big Silence.

Fr. Philip Endean SJ

Philip Endean teaches theology in the University from Campion Hall. He has been working in Ignatian spirituality for more than twenty-five years, publishing and teaching extensively in the field.

Sr. Carolyn Green SHCJ

Member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Irish, recently returned to Oxford from Rome where she spent 10 years in leadership and administration. For many years she has been involved in different areas of spirituality including spiritual direction, formation and retreat giving, including individually guided retreats, retreats in daily life and leading retreat days.

Fr. Nick King SJ

Fr. Nick King has taught New Testament in South Africa and most recently on the theology faculty at Oxford.  He has produced a ‘fresh translation’ of the Greek New Testament and the first volume of his translation of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) has recently been published.  He has been involved in retreat work and lecturing on several continents and until recently has been a leading light in the St. John’s squash and cricket teams.

Sr. Oona Mohan SHCJ

Oona is a Holy Child Sister.   She taught for many years in secondary schools.   She has undertaken biblical studies and spent a year in Rome studying Theology at the Regina Mundi Institute.  She has studied the the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius in the United States and is a trained counsellor.  She has worked both within the retreat house and more recently, in London, giving retreats in daily life and spiritual direction.