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THE WEAVE OF MANQUEHUE PRAYER NEWSLETTER #002
Friday 1st May 2020
The Weave of Manquehue Prayer is a network of friends that seek to help one another to pray, to cultivate spiritual friendship and to share with many the Good News of the Risen Christ. The Weave draws from the charism of the Manquehue Movement to enrich initiatives of evangelisation and service.
"Alleluia. This is the day which was made by the Lord: let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia. Alleluia!" With this verse the first Alleluia erupted after its long absence during the preparation time of Lent. This Eastertide is a time that we are given to dive into this eruption of joy and gladness, a time of thanksgiving because the Lord has brought light to all shadows in our hearts. He has dispelled all fears and doubts saying to us in the angels’ voice, "There is no need for you to be afraid… for he has risen, as he said he would." Let us not make the mistake that the women and the disciples made at first, that is; thinking that the Lord is not amongst us anymore, that he has abandoned us; no! Let us awake to the reality of his resurrected presence for he has risen as he said he would. He is the living God that makes your heart burn within you as you listen to him. So make the most of this Eastertide and give yourself time for personal prayer, and so experience his resurrected radiance in your heart. Allow yourself to be renewed day by day by his love and consolation, so that we may be reborn as new men and women at the end of this tide in the great feast of the Holy Spirit; Pentecost.
THE ‘STAY AT HOME’ WEAVE
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all facing unprecedented times. There are many challenges and much suffering, but also an opportunity to discover new ways of relating to each other and to God. During this period of lockdown, The Weave is continuing in its mission of 'helping one another to pray'. Even though we may be physically isolated, we can still be connected through online platforms and united in spirit through prayer and the Word of God.
Here you will find a motivation from the founder of Manquehue, José Manuel Eguiguren, on living out our faith in this time of Coronavirus and information on our current and upcoming online ‘Stay at Home’ Weave activities.
Motivation from Manquehue’s Founder
"As Christians, we are asked in these circumstances, by way of prayer, to overcome this fear of death and to affirm, every day, Life... Moments for silence and disconnection from daily news are of great help...
During these days, let us be aware of what is most really ours, God's life in us, and let us not allow frantic anxieties to cause us to abandon this awareness. What we are now living through calls us to let go and ignore those sorts of thoughts, to reverse the negative witness they give to us and come to see them as signs of the Life, Truth and Love that we encounter in the Word. Let us believe anew in the Word of our one true Teacher who says to us, I am the resurrection and the life." You can read the full motivation here.
‘Stay at Home’ Lectio
Each week, The Weave is hosting two online Lectio sessions via Google Meet. It is an opportunity for us to come together to do Lectio with Sunday’s Gospel, to build community and share God’s Word in these challenging times.
We meet on:
Wednesday at 5pm
Saturday at 9.30am
Please join us via this link: meet.google.com/zxa-gtpw-jii
‘Stay at Home’ Liturgy of the Hours
Every day The Weave is praying the Liturgy of the Hours online via Discord. It is an opportunity for us to gather at regular points in the day to pray as The Weave community and in union with all the church on earth and in heaven.
Lauds (morning prayer) 8am
Midday prayer 1pm
Vespers (evening prayer) 6.45pm
Compline (night prayer) 10pm
Please join us via this link: https://discord.gg/8tFEr2F
Virtual Visits to Lectio Groups
Our Lectio Groups Officer, Angus Duncan, reminds us of the importance of Lectio Groups for The Weave and encourages us to make the most of this time of isolation to become more closely woven together by visiting different Lectio Communities:
“At the core of The Weave of Manquehue Prayer is a series of interconnected communities and individuals united by their desire to pray together focusing on the Word of God. Together, we share our experiences of God and our search for Him. Therefore, coming together to pray, live in community together and talking about our journey to God is integral to our mission, and the backbone of this is meeting in our own everyday Lectio Communities.
During this difficult period I am continuing to visit lectio groups via their online meetings. In some ways it is even easier to meet groups now that travelling isn’t necessary! These visits aim to introduce members of the Weave to one other in order to allow for the sharing of ideas and to provide mutual support on our shared journey in faith. Wherever you go in the UK there is a lectio group living out their faith and sharing the Word of God in this weekly community gathering. Each one is unique and self-sustaining. Each one is enriched by the very act of sharing with other members of the Weave.
Recently Vicente ‘Vicho’ Tagle and I “visited” a lectio group in Warwick run by 4th year medical student Josh Sharp. We joined Josh’s group online for lectio on Friday evening and were welcomed extremely warmly. Josh explains why he started doing lectio in Warwick: “I love being part of the Weave. I love the simple motto of “helping one another to pray”. I know that I need that help. The joy and belonging that I find in the spiritual accompaniment that comes with sharing Lectio Divina helps me to come alive. It reminds me that community is what I was created for.”
If you are in a lectio group (as leader, veteran member or part-time) receiving a visit can be a chance to get new ideas and advice about nurturing your community, or support for running a retreat for your group. It could also be a chance for you to meet other lectio groups and aid them as you build your communities together - engaging in shared work can be a bonding experience for any community and the Weave has many opportunities to facilitate this. Visiting a group can also just be a great chance to meet new people and experience lectio in a slightly different way.
I would like to invite you all to take part in these visits either by welcoming members of the Weave to your group or by visiting another group yourself. If you would like to visit another group please email The Weave at theweave@manquehue.org Visits are usually conducted in pairs so if you have a preferred partner then please let me know.
You can read Angus and Josh’s full account here.
Upcoming Events
We are currently working on our programme of workshops and retreats to see what we can adapt to an online format. We are excited by the prospect of being able to go ahead with our planned activities including a Lectio Tent Training Workshop, the Open Retreat and Formation, online. Please keep an eye on the website and our Instagram and Facebook pages for updates and let us know if you would be interested in taking part!
WE WELCOME MARTÍN AND TOMÁS TO THE WEAVE
As mentioned in the last newsletter, two new young people from Chile have joined the Community of St Scholastica in Downside for a 5 month experience of living in community. Martín and Tomás joined the community in March. They spent a couple of weeks working in the chaplaincy at Downside School before being plunged into lockdown and throwing themselves into the online activities of The Weave as well as life in the community alongside Cristóbal, Nicolás, Vicente and Nick. Although we may not be able to meet Martín and Tomás in person in the current circumstances, we can still all support them in prayer. Here is a Q+A to get to know them a bit better!
Name Tomás Which Manquehue school did you attend? San Benito School Why did you decide to join the St Scholastica Community? In school I was very into lectio, community life, and service, so when I went to university, I felt that there was something missing, I didn’t want to just study. Some friends had come before to the experience and talked to me about it, and I just knew that I needed something like that. And then the process all started. What are your first impressions of Downside and England? I have never been to Europe before, so it is all new for me. I have really liked the cities, the ancient buildings, the people, the language and the food (especially Marmite). When I arrived to Downside I was amazed. The school is amazing, with a lot to do in it, and both the students and teachers were really friendly and kind. What do you wish to receive from your time in England? I wish to learn about life in community, what the faith is like and how God is manifested in another part of the world, learn about the culture and the people here. What is your favourite movie? I have a lot, but maybe One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest What is your favourite album? The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd A random fact about you? I am a movie lover Your favourite verse from the Bible? “But he has answered me: my grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness. It is then, in my weakness that I am happiest of all to boast, so the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Co 12: 9)
Name Martín Which Manquehue school did you attend? San Benito Why did you decide to join St Scholastica Community? I've always thought that God is telling me to come here. Various people have told me what it is like and about the mission, and community life attracts me a lot. What are your first impressions of Downside and England? I have only been able to see a little of Downside, but it has a lot of similarities with my school in Chile. I saw a community building their own school. What do you wish to receive from your time in England? I’m not just expecting it now but I think that the formation and discovery of God is something that I am getting, and I hope it continues. What is your favourite movie? Avatar What is your favourite album? I really don’t have a clue, sorry hahaha! A random fact about you: I have an identical twin Your favourite verse from the bible? "For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity." (Si 2, 5) (It is much better in the Spanish translation) ["Porque en el fuego se purifica el oro, y los aceptos a Dios en el honor de la humillación." Rough translation: For in fire, gold is purified, and those acceptable to God in the honour of humiliation/humility.] EASTER
This year, we have all celebrated Easter in a very different way but despite the isolation, the Risen Christ still comes to stand among us, bringing with him all the glory, hope and joy of the Resurrection. How did you celebrate Easter this year? We would love to see any photos or hear your reflections on celebrating Easter at home at theweave@manquehue.org!
Testimony of celebrating Easter in the St Scholastica Community
Tomás tells us about his experience of celebrating Holy Week and Easter with the St Scholastica Community:
“To live holy week in the community was very special to me. Not only due to the fact that we were self-isolated, so we were obliged to celebrate among ourselves, but also because I am here, in England, far from home. And of course I was expecting a very different Triduum; in big churches full of people, with the monks and magnificent liturgies. And ended up celebrating at home, without a priest, with six people only. And in spite of all that, and maybe, because of all that, it ended up being a very deep, meaningful celebration, going back to the roots of the church, when the Christians met in their houses to celebrate the Eucharist in small groups, managing with the things they had at hand, but with a deep sense of what they were doing, and a strong hope and faith. I felt just like that, making what Jesus said more than two thousand years ago more real than ever: ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’
It was a celebration that we prepared, so I was able to understand it much better, I lived every moment of the Triduum in a very deep way, so when the celebration of the resurrection came, I felt the light and the joy of the risen Christ, coming and telling me ‘look, here are my hands. Give me your hand, put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more, but believe.’”
MONDAY MOTIVATIONS
Each week we send out a short motivation to Lectio, for the following Sunday's readings, to Lectio group leaders. Please reply to this email if you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive Monday Motivations. Alternatively, you can access the Monday Motivations on our website here.
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