NEW PRAYER TENDENCIES OF CATHOLIC LAITY

NEW PRAYER TENDENCIES OF CATHOLIC LAITY Leonardo Rujano Merida,‭ ‬July‭ ‬7th,‭ ‬1998 Abstract: ‭ ‬Working with the religious dynamics in Mérida City,‭ ‬we have been able to formulate some hypothesis that allow us to organize these phenomenon.‭ ‬One such hypothesis is that there is a strong tendency,‭ ‬on behalf of those that have some religious interest,‭ ‬to search for‭ “‬deep‭” ‬experiences.‭ ‬In other words,‭ ‬they search for a highly emotional personal religious experience.‭ ‬Prayer and Life Workshops‭ (‬PLW‭)‬ are a particular case of this tendency.‭ ‬These appear within the Catholic context,‭ ‬where they have a strong and growing activity,‭ ‬which allows us to remember what used to be the important‭ ‬Charismatic Movement.‭ ‬PLWs are self-defined as a‭ “‬method to learn to pray and live.‭” ‬The basis of these workshops is the praying activity that will allow a personal relationship with God,‭ ‬a quasi-mystical experience.‭ ‬This paper provides a series of elements that serve as support for proving a hypothesis that appears in a broader paper,‭ ‬and according to which there seems to be a religious profile of the current inhabitants of Mérida City.‭ ‬This tendency is‭ “‬mystical.‭” ‬This could explain why in the last decades there have appeared successful groups of Buddhist meditation,‭ ‬practice of yoga,‭ ‬Catholic and Protestant workshops and prayer groups,‭ ‬etc.‭ ‬All these activities have in common a personal experience that implies a deep inner experience. Key terms:‭ ‬Prayer,‭ ‬mystical,‭ ‬meditation,‭ ‬contemplation,‭ ‬laity. Even though since the Renaissance,‭ ‬and especially with modernity,‭ ‬a growing secularization ‭ ‬First,‭ ‬in some philosophical and scientific environments there was a tendency toward an atheism that was generalized throughout all the intellectual environment,‭ ‬and lately during the XX Century there has been a process of religious indifference,‭ “‬absence,‭ ‬if not of all convictions,‭ ‬at least of all religious practice.‭” (‬Poupard,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬1987:‭ ‬832‭) throughout the whole Western World has appeared,‭ ‬even at the end of the XX Century,‭ ‬religion continues to be a present element in different human societies. ‭ ‬The religious element still plays an important role in modern civilization at a personal and social level.‭ (‬Cfr.‭ ‬Panikkar,‭ ‬R.‭ ‬1994:‭ ‬745-753‭) When we observe religious dynamics in Mérida City,‭ ‬among other things,‭ ‬we can state that some people who have religious interests seek personal and deep experiences that could be called mystical. ‭ “‬The most general definition of mysticism is:‭ <<‬spiritual activity that hopes to unite a soul with a divinity through several methods‭ (‬asceticism,‭ ‬devotion,‭ ‬love,‭ ‬contemplation‭)>>‬.‭ (‬Ferrater Mora,‭ ‬José.‭ ‬Book III,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬2419-2420‭) <<The term‭ “‬mystical‭” ‬is an adjective that means‭ “‬occult‭” ‬or‭ “‬relative to a mystery.‭” ‬According to A.‭ ‬Lanlande,‭ “‬the proper thing in these states appears to be,‭ ‬on the one hand,‭ ‬the devalorization and a type of vanishing of sensible symbols and notions belonging to abstract and discursive thought.‭ ‬On the other hand,‭ ‬direct contact and immediation of the spirit with the possessed reality in itself.‭” ‬There is a difference between‭ “‬a mystics of immanence and a mystics of transcendence.‭ ‬In the first case‭…‬,‭ ‬belonging to numerous Hindus,‭ ‬reality is nothing but the subject itself in its abysmal depths,‭ ‬the âtman,‭ ‬discovered and perceived in the ultimate experience of nirvakalpa samädhi,‭”(‬O.‭ ‬Lancombe‭)‬.‭ [‬In mystical transcendence‭] ‬the ultimate reality,‭ ‬conceived as transcendental,‭ ‬elevates the subject toward it‭…‬.‭ ‬This experience is an ecstasy,‭ ‬an exit or loss of oneself,‭ ‬a sudden interruption of the Absolute‭>> (‬Poupard‭ ‬1987:‭ ‬1199‭) We have found this tendency in some practices such as Buddhist meditation,‭ ‬prayer techniques,‭ ‬and yoga. ‭ ‬Prayer and Life Workshops‭ (‬PLW‭)‬ are a particular case of this tendency.‭ ‬These workshops appear within the context of the Catholic Denomination,‭ ‬where we find a strong and growing activity,‭ ‬which is a remnant of the important phenomenon of the‭ ‬Charismatic Movement. ‭ ‬By looking at a bulletin board in some Catholic temples in Mérida City there are invitations to the‭ ‬Prayer and Life Workshops‭ (‬PLW‭)‬. ‭ ‬The first workshops took place in Mérida in the early‭ ‬80s,‭ ‬and since then,‭ ‬they have had slow but progressive growth in the ecclesiastic community of the City.‭ ‬For example,‭ ‬in‭ ‬1997‭ ‬there were PLWs in almost all parishes of the City. ‭ ‬We have approached these groups with a particular interest in studying religious dynamics in our city,‭ ‬but we find that these groups have an international projection.‭ ‬Throughout the Americas and parts of Europe there are prayer workshops.‭ ‬The Vatican,‭ ‬according to people leading such workshops,‭ ‬has recommended that Christians attend these sessions.‭ (‬Cfr.‭ ‬Larrañaga‭ ‬1995:‭ ‬Introduction‭) This paper is based on a study which began in mid‭ ‬1997.‭ ‬Fundamentally,‭ ‬it has been done through direct observation of dynamics taking place in the workshop’s sessions,‭ ‬and a series of interviews with participants and leaders.‭ ‬Prayer workshops are held twice a year at different parishes,‭ ‬and during the second semester of‭ ‬1997,‭ ‬workshops were held at almost every parish in Mérida City.‭ ‬We have followed the historical development of this movement in the City,‭ ‬and in general,‭ ‬its dynamics and practices. ‭ ‬PLWs are self-defined as a‭ “‬method to learn to pray and live.‭” ‬The basis for these workshops is prayer,‭ ‬which allows a personal relationship with God,‭ ‬an experimental knowledge of this divinity‭ (‬an almost quasi-mystical experience.‭) ‬Invitations on church bulletin boards usually state: ‭“‬PLW is a method that,‭ ‬supported on the experience of the Word of God,‭ ‬and the practice of different ways to pray,‭ ‬allows us to deepen our personal relationship with our Father,‭ ‬experiment His unconditional and free love,‭ ‬and strengthen our faith,‭ ‬which helps us to surpass anguish,‭ ‬fear,‭ ‬anxiety,‭ ‬and sadness,‭ ‬to feel secure and trustful,‭ ‬to recuperate emotional stability and joy of life‭”‬. ‭ ‬Workshops are held in‭ ‬15‭ ‬two hour sessions,‭ ‬and consist fundamentally of teaching a series of‭ ‬11‭ ‬prayer techniques.‭ ‬One of the most important elements of these workshops is the‭ “‬sacred half hour,‭” ‬which consists of a daily practice that must be done by workshop participants,‭ ‬where the modality of prayer of that week is followed.‭ ‬Also,‭ ‬a series of relaxation and concentration exercises are taught to be done before engaging in prayer.‭ ‬There is a particular emphasis on corporal position,‭ ‬which basically consist in keeping your back straight,‭ ‬eyes closed,‭ ‬and hands on thighs.‭ ‬These practices have some elements that can be compared with meditation techniques taught in Buddhist center in the City.‭ ‬In the last session,‭ ‬there is an intense prayer session called‭ “‬Desert,‭” ‬in which a whole day is devoted to prayer techniques,‭ ‬generally in an isolated place,‭ ‬and in contact with nature. ‭ ‬Also,‭ ‬we have observed that these workshops have an important moral component.‭ ‬At these workshops there is a constant insistence that prayer practice will affect the conduct of attendees‭’ ‬everyday life.‭ ‬There is heavy emphasis on controlling‭ “‬primary‭” ‬affective impulses such as anger and anguish. ‭ ‬Through PLWs we can clearly see the Catholic Church’s new attitude in terms of laity participation in this institutions internal activities.‭ ‬In the particular case of prayer by laity,‭ ‬the Church’s conception has changed after Vatican II.‭ ‬Today,‭ ‬laity participate more actively in prayer in churches,‭ ‬and in PLWs we can observe that laity have access to contemplation‭ ‬,‭ ‬and mystical experience that has always been reserved for priests.‭ ‬In these last years,‭ ‬laity have been invited to participate by praying during Holy Mass,‭ ‬which was exclusively reserved for priests. ‭ ‬Cfr.‭ ‬Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica,‭ ‬1993:‭ ‬614-619. ‭ ‬Until a few years ago,‭ ‬prayer by laity was reduced to vocal or repeated responses,‭ ‬such as praying the Rosary or reciting prayer readings at novenas.‭ ‬Also,‭ ‬these workshops have an important component of Biblical formation,‭ ‬where Biblical readings are frequent,‭ ‬serving as guide for prayer techniques. ‭ ‬In our observations,‭ ‬we have noted that Catholic population in Mérida City has more and more accepted this form of spirituality.‭ ‬PLWs are widely accepted and attendance is large in numerous parishes.‭ ‬Another element that must be pointed out is that PLWs are,‭ ‬in a certain manner,‭ ‬a defense mechanism before the expansion of other cults and sects.‭ ‬This was expressed by Capuchin Father Ignacio Larrañaga‭ (‬founder of PLWs‭) ‬in a recorded lecture that is heard during these sessions.‭ ‬Another important element that we have noted in the interviews is that some people link PLWs with a sort of psychological therapy.‭ ‬These people say that they have found peace and tranquility,‭ ‬which helped them to get out of a nervous crisis,‭ ‬etc. CONCLUSION: ‭ ‬One of this paper’s conclusions,‭ ‬which is an initial hypothesis of a broader paper that we are currently working on,‭ ‬is that in the religious profile of the current inhabitants of Mérida City is of a‭ “‬mystical‭” ‬tendency.‭ ‬This could be a way to explain the fact that in the last decades groups have been successfully established that use Buddhist meditation,‭ ‬yoga,‭ ‬Catholic and Protestant prayer workshops and groups,‭ ‬etc.‭ ‬All these activities have in common a deep personal experience. ‭ ‬Another point that remains to be addressed is to project the resurgence of mysticism found in Mérida City as a general characteristic of religious dynamics in the modern world. 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