Parish Missions

It has been a number of years that I have been asked to preach missions and give conferences in a number of diocese in the United States and Canada. I have been most blessed by the Holy Spirit in each of the requests coming from parishes. In 2012 I was privileges to present a conference on Healing for the I THIRST conference for the Diocese of Bismark, ND. That presentation and prayer service continues to be available on their website. It is one option as to how the Lord desires to heal His people. A number of parishes have viewed that presentation and I have helped them establish teams that continue praying with individuals who carry brokenness in their lives. There is so much brokenness and there is an immanent need for this ministry
The usual way to begin is to open the mission of healing by scheduling a three day parish wide mission with a large parish or a number of smaller parishes.
The Mission begins with a 5-10 minute presentation at all the Saturday and Sunday Masses introducing the parishioners to the power of God’s love and how He desires to heal His people. These invitations are usually done near the end of Mass after the distribution of the Holy Eucharist
The congregation present is asked to begin to reflect on what gift of healing they desire and begin their petitions to the Lord they have just received and also during their personal prayer times.
The Pastor is asked to order copies of TRUE CONFESSION by Linda Schubert for each of the parish members. This booklet will be a focus for continued healing prayer after the Mission. 1-800. In addition there will be copies of the PERMISSION PRAYER and THE PRAYER TO TAKE AUTHORITY. These will be sent so the parish secretary can have those copies available for the parishioners.
There is usually a parish committee that months in advance plans the Mission often preparing prayer cards with the picture of Mary or Jesus or the Holy Family or the parish saint or a mystery of Jesus life depending on the name of the Parish. There is an intercessory prayer printed on the back for the success of the Mission given to parishioners months before the mission..
I will include my professional vitae, promotional picture and possible topics when dates are set. I ask the Pastor what are the themes that he hears as he is working with parish members or through ministry in the Confessional.
The major presentations are Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings for 75 minutes with a social to follow to deepen the fellowship in the parish. The times vary according to parish needs, (Example 7:30-8:45) Times are set at the Pastors discretion.
The following are proposed topics that are commonly requested but it is to the discretion of the Pastor and Committee to identify what is needed.
Sunday Evening: Scriptural foundations for healing and the healing messages of Jesus. The invitation to open the heart to a readiness to receive the healing love of Jesus.
Monday Evening: The healing of fears, unresolved angers, resentment and the beginning of forgiveness.
Tuesday Evening: Forgiveness for betrayal, loss of love, mother- father wounds, grief, patterns of unrecognized sin and many other possibilities. Introduction to the TRUE CONFESSION booklet.
At the beginning of each session I ask the priest to begin Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament present on the altar. Near the end of my presentation I proclaim Mark 10:46 – the passage of Bartimeus. I ask the priest to take the Monstrance and spend 5-7 seconds before each pew and as Jesus is passing by He is asking each person “What do you want me to do for you?” I ask them to open their hearts fully to Him and release any hurt old or new and totally release it to Him. Often you will hear crying and sobbing. That’s a sign the pain is being released and healing has begun. It is left to the discretion of the Priest as to whether he wants to process with the monstrance each night or all three nights.
There is time throughout the day and some of the possibility of additional meetings you may want to consider are as follows:
On Sunday afternoon meet with the Teen Group to discuss prayer, discerning vocation and the lives of the saints.
On Monday or Tuesday morning following the morning Mass meet with Seniors with coffee and rolls to present their mission of intercessory prayer for family, parish needs and evangelization.
At a convenient time of day for the parish staff to meet to talk about their roll as the presence of Jesus to those they serve – how does their spirituality integrate their position of service.
If there is a grade school to schedule 20 min of Adoration for the different groups and talk about the Lord’s love and the power of their Guardian angel.
If there are prayer groups such as the Legion of Mary, Charismatic Renewal or Bible Study I would be open to joining them for 15 to 30 min. to encourage them.