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PRAYER FOR A LARGE GROUP SETTING
Marianist Province of the United States, Published October 2007
PRAYER OUTLINE
- Environment suggestions:
- A table draped in a red cloth
- Four unlit candles on the table
- A lit Paschal candle near the table
- Call to Worship and Celebration
- Opening Song
- Opening Prayer
- First Reading: From the writings of Marianist Blesseds
- Responsorial Psalm 40
- Gospel (Mathew 5:1‐12)
- The Life of the Martyrs
- Prayer of the Faithful (Petitions)
- Our Father
- Final Prayer
- Closing Song
CALL TO WORSHIP AND CELEBRATION
[In these, or similar words, a leader of the community welcomes those gathered and invites them into a spirit of prayer and celebration.]
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We gather today as a community in remembrance and celebration. We remember four Marianists, three brothers and one priest, who were martyred during the religious persecution that swept through Spain between 1931 and 1939 – Miguel, Sabino, Joaquín, and Florencio – Marianist religious who died for their faith with a spirit of simplicity and forgiveness. We celebrate because their martyrdom is a model for us of unwavering faith and service to the Lord. From an early age, each one heard the call from Jesus to follow Him as members of the Society of Mary. Not knowing where this would lead them, they were steadfast to the end, willing to follow the Lord wherever the path would lead.
Fr. Manuel Cortes, superior general of the Society of Mary, reminds us that in the words and stories of these martyrs, “we find joy, consolation and inspiration in that during those days there were so many witnesses to the faith. They gave of themselves, in steadfast courage and faith, never surrendering their principles or convictions. They were called to follow Christ to Calvary. They have received the martyr’s crown, and now the Church [proclaims] their virtue for all to see.”
This prayer service is one of many around the world which commemorates the beatification in Rome on October 28 of these four martyrs. We join with thousands of vowed and lay Marianists, as well as students and parishioners in Marianist schools and parishes, to honor these humble servants of God. As we remember and celebrate today, let us joyfully thank God for their lives, find inspiration in their stories, and reflect on where God is calling and leading us.
OPENING SONG
[All are invited to stand and join in the opening song.]
Suggestions:
- Lord When you Came/Pescador de Hombres
- The Summons
- Here I Am, Lord
- Lead Me, Guide Me
- Lead Me, Lord
- A song about being called by God, following God
OPENING PRAYER
[All remain standing and the Prayer Leader begins the call‐and‐response opening prayer.]
Leader - Let us pray together… In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Gracious God: Miguel, Sabino, Joaquín, and Florencio heard you call them to new life.
All - Teach us to listen to you.
Leader - Eternal God: The Blessed Martyrs showed unwavering faith and
conviction even amidst persecution and strife.
All - Help us stand firm in faith.
Leader - Loving God: The Marianist Martyrs had the courage to go wherever your path would lead them.
All - Inspire us to follow your call.
Leader - We ask this through the intercession of the Blessed Marianist Martyrs, and through Christ our Lord.
All - Amen.
FIRST READING
[This reading is a series of quotations from Marianist Blesseds. Ideally, each one will be read by a different person. If needed, two people can alternate between each quote. Only a brief pause is needed between each quote.]
Reader 1
From Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, founder of the Society of Mary
“What he does today, what he will do tomorrow, where he will pass his life and how long it will last does not disquiet him. Indifferent to everything else, he has only one thing at heart – always and everywhere to do the holy will of God.”
Reader 2
From Fr. Miguel Léibar Garay, Marianist Martyr
“Here am I, then, ready for anything …Send me wherever you all want…With the grace of God, and above all with the protection of His Mother, I will face up to all challenges.”
Reader 3
From Brother Florencio Arnáiz Cejudo, Marianist Martyr
“The intention of serving Mary all the days of my life energizes me to overcome all difficulties.”
Reader 4
From Brother Joaquín Ochoa Salazar, Marianist Martyr
“I want to enlist forever under the banner of Mary, to work for her honor until the hour comes for me to die in her service.”
Reader 5
From Brother Sabino Ayastuy Errasti, Marianist Martyr
“At each moment, I experience a greater happiness and consolation in knowing that I belong to the Society of Mary. And the greatest desire of my life is to be a part of the Family of Mary through my perpetual profession.”
“The persecutions don’t daunt me. For it is God who permits them and who gives me the grace to come out of it all for the good of my soul.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
(Psalm 40:2,4,7‐8a, 8b‐9, 10, 17)
[The psalm may be recited as written below, or a musical setting may be used.]
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the Lord,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song in to my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought
not; then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you,
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, “The Lord be glorified.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
GOSPEL
(Matthew 5: 1 – 12)
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
ʺBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
THE LIVES OF THE MARTYRS OF MADRID
[After each short biography is read, one candle on the table is lit from the Paschal candle. Also after the biography is read, the refrain from Blest Are They or another appropriate antiphon is sung. It may be helpful to intone this at the beginning. There is a brief introduction that begins this section and a prayer for all to recite which concludes the section. The refrain/antiphon could be sung after the prayer as well.]
Prayer Leader:
During the first months of the religious persecution in Spain, four Marianists were shot in Madrid by revolutionary militias. They were killed simply for being members of a religious community and not willing to deny Jesus Christ. On October 28, 2007, they were named Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome with 494 others who were martyred during the Spanish Civil War. Let us now listen to the stories of their lives.
Reader 6:
Miguel Léibar Garay was born on February 17, 1885. He professed first vows in the Society of Mary in 1903, and was ordained a priest in 1915. He devoted himself as a teacher and chaplain at various schools in Spain. Fr. Miguel was known as very dedicated and was loved by the students. When the religious persecution broke out at the time of the Civil War, Fr. Miguel continued to be the leader among those religious in hiding in Madrid. On July 28, 1936, he was arrested and shot by one of the revolutionary militias.
[Light candle and sing refrain]
Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you, holy are you!
Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God!
Reader 7:
Joaquín Ochoa Salazar was born on April 16, 1910. He professed his first vows in the Society of Mary in 1928. Having completed his university degree, he served as a teacher at Marianist schools and was in love with his profession as an educator. Following the military uprising and subsequent revolution in 1936, he took refuge in the house of a family friend. He was soon arrested and on the following day, September 14, he was shot in the company of his fellow Marianists, Sabino Ayastuy and Florencio Arnáiz, as well as with two Dominicans.
[Light candle and sing refrain]
Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you, holy are you!
Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God!
Reader 8:
Sabino Ayastuy Errasti was born on December 29, 1911. He made his first profession as a Marianist in 1928. He taught in Marianist schools in Spain. He was known for his kind smile, affectionate demeanor, and intense interior life of faith. When the Civil War broke out and the religious persecution was declared, he sought refuge in the home of a sympathetic family. He, too, was arrested and shot in the presence of his fellow Marianists and the two Dominicans.
[Light candle and sing refrain]
Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you, holy are you!
Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God!
Reader 9:
Born on May 10, 1909, Florencio professed his first vows in the Society of Mary in 1926. He obtained his university degree and was sent to teach at Marianist schools where he was greatly admired by the youngest students. Like his brothers, as the Civil War broke out, he was forced to seek refuge with a family. He too, was sacrificed by those who hated the faith, together with Sabino, Joaquín and the two Dominican religious.
[Light candle and sing refrain]
Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you, holy are you!
Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God!
Prayer Leader:
Even though the earthly lives of Miguel, Sabino, Joaquín, and Florencio were extinguished more than 70 years ago, their light continues to shine forth. They continue to be beacons of faith and witnesses of Jesus Christ for us.
In the light of these Martyrs let us pray together:
All:
Good and Gracious God, we thank you for the lives of these Blessed Martyrs. By their example, inspire us to grow in your love and walk in your ways. Like them, may your light within us always shine forth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
[All are invited to stand.]
Prayer Leader:
Gathered together as a people of faith, we now bring our petitions before our God through the intercession of the Blessed Marianist Martyrs.
Reader 10:
Our response is, “Lord, hear our prayer.”
- For those persecuted for their faith, we pray to the Lord.
- For peace in our cities and world, and for an end to war, we pray to the Lord.
- For teachers who shape the lives of young people, we pray to the Lord.
- For those who stand up for what is right and hold to those convictions, we pray to the Lord.
- In thanksgiving for the beatification of these four Marianist Martyrs, we pray to the Lord.
- For the strength to follow wherever God’s path will lead us, we pray to the Lord.
- For an increase in vocations to Marianist life, we pray to the Lord.
- [other local petitions can be added as appropriate]
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Prayer Leader:
We unite these prayers with those in the silence of our hearts as we pray in the words that Jesus taught us. Our Father…
FINAL PRAYER
Prayer Leader:
Lord, Our God,
who granted to the blessed martyrs Miguel, Joaquín, Sabino and Florencio
the grace of dedicating their lives to the education of youth
under the protection of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary,
and of courageously professing the faith, even to the point of shedding blood,
grant to us that, strengthened by their example and intercession,
we might give witness to the same Faith in word and deed.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
All: Amen
Prayer Leader:
Let us conclude with the Marianist Doxology.
All:
May the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit be glorified in all places through the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Amen.
CLOSING SONG Suggestions
- City of God
- Go Make a Difference
- God Has Chosen Me
- Song about sending forth in mission