The first priority in Archbishop Mark’s Apostolic Priorities for the Archdiocese of Brisbane, documented in With Lamps Ablaze, is Teaching Prayer. He says, “Often we urge people to pray but don’t really teach them how to pray… Now is the time to teach ways of prayer which are mature and all-embracing. Christian prayer begins not with speaking but with listening; and learning to pray is therefore learning to listen – to listen even to the silences of God. If all we do is speak, then in the words of Jesus we “babble like the pagans” (Matt 6:7). But if we speak after listening and in response to God who always has the first word, then we speak according to the mind of the Holy Spirit. That’s what we need to teach and learn. In the Gospel of Mark, we read that Jesus called the twelve apostles to himself, first of all, “that they might be with him” (3:14). This is where the mission starts: being with Jesus, which is what prayer is.”

Join us for our new weekly series, Let’s Pray, where we invite you to pray along with us. Each week we will invite you to pray a new prayer with us – maybe you don’t know what to pray, or want to pray along with someone, or want to practice your faith through prayer. Our Let’s Pray series is for everyone.

Join us and Fr Anthony Mellor this week as we lift up prayers for our church communities in the Archdiocese of Brisbane. We also invite you to take a moment to also celebrate a major milestone in our faith journey – the 150th anniversary of The Cathedral of St Stephen. This cathedral holds great significance in our history, serving as a home for generations of believers who have found solace and community within its walls. As we reflect on our shared past and look ahead with hope, let us come together in prayer, seeking God’s grace and blessings for our communities. Let’s come together in gratitude and faith and let’s pray.

• A Prayer for Our Churches

  A Prayer for Our Churches

  Author: Archdiocese of Brisbane

  
  Hello, I’m Fr Anthony Mellor, Dean of the Cathedral. As we gather today in prayer for our church communities within the Archdiocese of Brisbane, we also take a moment to celebrate a significant milestone in our faith journey the 150th anniversary of The Cathedral of St Stephen. It’s a big part of our history, it’s been a home for many generations of believers who have found solace and community within its walls.

  Today, as we reflect on our shared history and look forward with hope, we unite our hearts and minds in prayer, asking for God’s grace and blessing upon our communities. Let us now come together in a spirit of gratitude and faith. Let us pray.

  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

  Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, thankful for the gift of community and the fellowship we share within our churches. In Your wisdom, You have called us into a life of communion, a journey of faith together, where we support, learn, and grow together. We pray for Your guiding hand over each church community. Bless our clergy, our lay leaders, and all members of our parishes.

  Guide and bless our leaders and all who give their time and heart to our church. Give us strength when we face tough times, wisdom when we need to make choices, and a heart full of kindness for everyone we meet. As we contribute to the life of our church, let our actions mirror Your love. May our communities be places of spiritual nourishment, where the weary find rest, the lonely find companionship, and the searching find You. May our actions and gatherings always show Your love and bring Your people together in peace, joy, and hope.

  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

  As we conclude our prayer today, let us carry the spirit of unity and love forward. In our church communities, we are given a unique opportunity to embody the teachings of Christ, and to serve and be served, to love and be loved. May we always cherish and nurture these communities, recognising them as sacred spaces where God’s work unfolds in and through us. Thank you for joining us in our prayer. We hope to see you again.