The Course of each Meeting in 7 points

1. Begin with a song of praise and the recitation of the FIAT rosary or the traditional rosary, introduced by the FIAT prayer, incorporating the intentions of those present.

2. Spiritual reading that has some bearing on evangelization (we especially recommend cardinal Suenens’ book The Christian at the Threshold of a New Age which can be considered the textbook for evangelization). After the reading of an excerpt, each person is invited to share a word or phrase that touched him or her, without going into detail. These brief words can be very enriching for each participant, while at the same time they give people the courage to speak about spiritual matters.

3. There follows a sharing both ‘ad intra’ and ‘ad extra’. Depending on the number of participants, we might break up into smaller groups for a two-fold sharing: the first is about our own personal spiritual journey (ad intra), and the second touches on our active involvement, that is, how we have been able to witness to Christ (ad extra). In fact, all this comes down to sharing very simply how we have lived out the FIAT prayer each day in terms of the dual nature of Christian life: contemplation and witnessing to Christ.

4. We propose that the group sharing portion of the meeting close with the singing of a hymn, such as the Magnificat.

5. There then follows a teaching a few minutes in length, on some spiritual or pastoral subject.

6. The last part of the meeting involves a look to the future: what initiatives should be taken in the coming weeks? This is important: first, an explicit commitment is easier to fulfill and is less likely to remain but a good intention, and it is also good to know that one is sustained by the prayer of others.

7. To close the meeting: a few announcements may be made, and the date and place of the next meeting is set. Then a closing hymn is sung, preferably in keeping with the liturgical season. The leader or a member of the group will end with a short prayer and the recitation of the Our Father. If a priest is present, he may give a blessing.