"Lord teach us to Pray" Christchurch Diocesan Year of Prayer Conference 2024

Lectio Divina, which means Divine Reading, is a way of becoming immersed in the Scriptures very personally.

It’s a way of developing a closer relationship with God by reflecting prayerfully on His words. In this session you will learn about this method of prayer and you will also have the chance to have a go.

Kirsten is a pastoral worker at the Catholic Cathedral parish is Christchurch. She is an experienced Spiritual Director and retreat giver.

Fr Jacques Philippe writes that the “most fundamental question of the Christian Life is … how should we receive the grace of the Holy Spirit? How can we keep ourselves ever open to his action”? Fr Jacques writes that there are eight “attitudes and practices” that open us to the work of the Holy Spirit. These, he says, are “most important in guaranteeing a constant receptivity to the grace of the Holy Spirit”. Come to this workshop and learn what these eight are and how you can grow in holiness through them.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, Fr Philip joined the brothers of Saint John in 2009 and has been in Christchurch since 2018. He is currently assistant priest at Christchurch West and Catholic Chaplain for the Universities.

In this session, Dan & Bridget will speak about the important and beautiful role of the saints in our Christian journey. We can learn much from how the Saints prayed as well as seeking their intercession in our own prayer life. As Pope Benedict XVI said, “The saints expressed in various ways the powerful and transforming presence of the Risen One. They let Jesus so totally overwhelm their life that they could say with St Paul “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

St Teresa of Avila is a carmelite sister, a doctor of the Church and is acknowledged as a spiritual master. Her book, Interior Castle, is a spiritual masterpiece. It came after she received a vision from Christ, picturing “the soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond or of a very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions” Come to this workshop and learn more about the seven mansions of St. Teresa of Ávila’s Interior Castle as a pathway to union with God.

St Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises are a powerful method for encountering Jesus Christ and growing to know, love and serve him more. This session will introduce you to some of the key elements in the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises and invite you to engage and experience those, enabling you to use them in your own prayer life.

We learn how to do things by watching others, imitating those more practised or ahead of us in the journey. Discover some surprisingly insightful tips from Jesus himself on how to pray; and some Christ-centred tips from the Apostle Paul on what to pray or say. You will go home feeling informed and inspired with plenty of practical and biblical ideas to try out in your prayer life.

Karen Meehan is a Mid-Canterbury farmer with a Graduate Diploma in Theology from Good Shepherd College, currently studying a Bachelor of Theology endorsed in Biblical Studies at Otago. For the past five years she has taught Bible Studies in Ashburton. Her whakapapa is to County Kerry, the Scottish Highlands, and the Hungarian Jews of Pápa.

The Liturgy of the Hours (also known as the Divine Office) is the official prayer of the church and an indispensable part of her Sacred Liturgy. The Second Vatican Council described it as the “sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7).” Priests and Religious are required to pray it every day, but more and more lay people now pray parts of it. Come to this workshop and learn more about the prayer of the church, how to pray it and how it can enrich your life.

Why has the Church always considered the Psalms her most perfect book of prayer? To put it very plainly, the Church loves the Psalms because in them she sings of her experience of God, of her union with the Incarnate Word, of her contemplation of God in the mystery of Christ. Psalms are the songs of the people who knew who God was. God has willed to make himself known to us in the mystery of the Psalms. This session will look at the Psalms as a means of prayer, how to appreciate their versatility and make use of them daily. In essence, the Psalms are a perfect prayer for those who enter them with faith and can become a favourite way of offering praise and thanks to God.

Alex Chia works for the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch in the Bishop’s Pastoral Office. He is married with 2 young children and is currently pursuing a Masters in Evangelization and Catechetics.

The Conference is being held on Saturday July 27th at the Sinclair Centre in Ashburton. The Sinclair Centre is right next door to the Holy Name Catholic Church and parts of the conference will be held at both venues. It is a one day conference starting at 9am with Mass and finishing at 5.15pm.

The conference opens with Mass. There will be two keynote talks along with two rounds of workshops. Each participant will choose one workshop from a list of 4 or 5 in each of the two rounds. All workshops are listed above. There will also be times of prayer and quiet. See below for a draft timetable of the day.

The cost is going to be $59 per person. This includes morning tea, afternoon tea, lunch, venue hire etc. 

Please make payment into the following account:

Catholic Diocese of Christchurch: 03-0802-0948733-00
Particulars: Attendee's first name initial then last name e.g. B Jones
Code: Registration
Reference: YOPConf

Click the Register button above to register. Workshop choices will be made on the day. Registration closes on Friday 19th July. To contact the organiser please email moconnell@cdoc.nz.

Matt O'Connell is leading the small team that is organizing the conference. You can contact him on moconnell@cdoc.nz or 366-9869

8.00am   Registration Opens

9.00am   Parish Mass at Holy Name Church celebrated by Bishop Michael (registrations continue)

10.00am   Registration (continues) and Morning Tea

10.30am   Welcome and Opening Prayer

10.45am   Opening Keynote address

11.30am   Workshops Round 1

12.30pm   Lunch (Provided)

1.30pm   Rosary in the Church / Quiet prayer time

2.00pm   Workshop Round 2

3.00pm   Afternoon Tea

3.30pm   Keynote 2

4.00pm   Final Summary & Thanks

4.15pm   Adoration and Evening Prayer of the Church

5.15pm   Finish

6.00pm   Vigil Mass with Local Parish Community if you wish to stay 

Registration will take place in the foyer of the Sinclair Centre, 74 Park Street, Ashburton (See Map Below)