The General Instruction for the Roman Missal (GIRM) gives guidance as to what should be prayed for during the Eucharistic liturgy. It says that as a rule, the series of intentions is to be:
- "For the needs of the Church;
- "For public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;
- "For those burdened by any kind of difficulty;
- "For the local community."
The first topic can be for any need of the church – its hierarchy or its people. The second topic is pretty broad (salvation of the whole world) and encourages the writer to be sensitive to world events.
The third is asking for the writer to consider social concerns and the last topic is to be written for the parish or community gathered. A final intercession is customarily added for those who are sick in the community as well.
Various Structures of the Prayers of the Faithful
The prayers can be written in various forms.
- This form states what is to be prayed for and then makes a request: “For students returning to school, may they do well in their studies and make lasting friendships. Let us pray to the Lord.”
- This prayer states the request with no frills: “That those who are homeless be protected and fed through the charity of God’s people. We pray to the Lord.”
- This forms makes a true statement and then makes a request: "Violent storms have flooded our city and left many people without power or services. May they quickly receive assistance and be kept safe from harm. Let us pray to the Lord."
- Some prayers simply state what is to be prayed for and allow the request to be implied: “For world and local leaders and for all who make decisions affecting the lives of others. We pray to the Lord.”
- Another prayer form combines related needs in to one prayer: "For elderly people who are in need of support; For all who give care to spouses, parents and grandparents; And for all who work to uphold the dignity of life. Let us pray to the Lord.”
Introduction and Conclusion to the Intercessions
The introduction to the prayers of the faithful is spoken by the priest. It is addressed to the assembly as an invitation to prayer. It is written with sensitivity to the season and the readings of the day. One example is, "During this Advent season we hear John the Baptist cry 'Prepare the way of the Lord!' Let us pray and ask God to help us become a light in the darkness for all the world to see."
The concluding prayer is addressed to God and is intended to simply conclude the prayers of the people (it can have a reference to the season but it is not intended to be its own literary artpiece): "Loving God, hear the prayers we have offered here today. May our lives be ever in service to you. Amen."
Sources of Ideas and Inspiration
The first source of inspiration should be the readings of the day. If they are hard to understand, it is wise to read the scriptures immediately preceding or following the particular reading to help put them in context. The Workbook for Lectors by Liturgy Training Publications is an excellent resource that's often useful in helping individuals understand the Sunday scriptures and the liturgical seasons.
The writer must also have a solid understanding of the Eucharistic liturgy. This may not seem important at first glance but without it, writing the Prayers of the Faithful is like trying to write a chapter of a book that one may not fully understand.
The Catholic liturgy is rich in ritual and tradition and even priests and church leaders find that new and deeper meaning arise as they study. A resource is a book that many may find helpful is titled, "The Mass An Invitation to Enjoy It" written by Amy Florian and published by ACTA Publications. It is a quick 90-page read that eloquently reveals the rich meaning the Catholic Mass offers.
Prayers for Weddings and Funerals
The GIRM also gives flexibility to the prayer topics by saying "Nevertheless, in a particular celebration, such as Confirmation, Marriage, or a Funeral, the series of intentions may reflect more closely the particular occasion."
For these liturgies, the prayers should imitate one of the prayer structures but can be written a little less broad. However, all the prayers should not be written for the couple alone or for the deceased and his/her family. The prayer writer must remember to include intentions that reflect the spirit of the couple and include intentions for the community gathered and the world. Similarly, prayers at a funeral can remember all people who grieve for lost loved ones or pray for a specific charity/topic that was important to the deceased.
Whatever the occasion, one must remember that these are prayers for the community. When writing for Sundays, one will find some week's prayers are better than others. The good news for the writer is that no matter what is written, God knows the community’s prayerful intentions and one must remember that there’s always next week.
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