More than quarter of a million students in British and other Schools have made a deep personal and spiritual experience through PRAYER SPACES IN SCHOOLS. This is an initiative started over six years ago by children, youth workers and school staff, in conjunction with 24-7 Prayer, an International prayer organization.

Prayer Spaces in Schools team leader, Phil Togwell, was the guest speaker, together with two of his team, Catherine Clayton and Tim Benge-Abbott, at a three-day series of seminars for teachers, youth leaders and youth ministers, held at St Joseph’s Retreat House, Rabat from 16-18 th January. The seminars were jointly organized by the Spiritual Development Unit, within the Catholic Education Secretariat, the Coordinator for Spiritual Counsellors in State Schools and KDZ, the Diocesan Youth Commission.

More than 225 persons attended these seminars, all people involved in the spiritual formation of students and young people.

The central message was that God is already actively present in every person and especially in the young. All it takes is for someone to help them discover this life-giving presence to release the ‘God-flavors’ and the ‘God-colors’ within them. This inner self-knowledge can be attained through simple experiences, such as dropping a forgiveness stone in a jar, watching a fizzy tablet loaded with one’s inner pains dissolve in a bowl of water, writing down hard questions one wishes to put to God on torn bits of hanging cardboard, writing a moving messages in a sand-filled tray or just sitting on a simple cushion listening to some soothing music and a heartwarming message on an MP3 player in a cosy gazebo.

So many activities that open up the heart of the young to release the pains, questions, aspirations, hopes, thankfulness and anger within them. Messages flow freely and touchingly from these young hearts: “God why don’t you answer?” “I don’t want to remain alone any longer?” “Why can’t dad and mum be together? They deserve it.” “Sorry for not taking proper care of my hamster. She died!”

Pastoral teams from Schools and organizations where enthusiastic about the whole initiative. They expressed eagerness to have this more experiential approach be more widespread in the spiritual formation of children and young people they serve in their profession or vocation. It is another way of bringing children and young people closer to meeting God in a real, healing, personal experience, even amidst their own and society’s brokenness and hurts.

At the end of the seminars several people have agreed to run Prayer Spaces in their school or organization, whilst building up on the sense of mutual support and solidarity lived during these days.

Learn more about Prayer Spaces in Schools by visiting the website: http://prayerspacesinschools.com.

Prayer Spaces in Schools is being promoted and coordinated in Malta by the Spiritual Development Unit of the Catholic Education Secretariat. For local information and support please contact Fr Paul Chetcuti sj, tel: 79826899, email: [email protected]