What is Fiat and what are we invited to pray for?
Our Archdiocese of Melbourne will unite in a weekend of prayer, Fiat, from Friday 28 March to Sunday 30 March.
Fiat: A Weekend of Prayer is inspired by the annunciation (commemorated on the feast day falling on 25 March), when Mary, the model disciple, listened to the call of God and gave her wholehearted ‘yes’ to his mission. We are invited as communities, families and individuals to set this time aside to listen to what the Lord may be asking of us, and to pray for the grace to embark on and do his will for the year ahead.
Mary said, ‘Here I am, the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.’
—Luke 1:38
How can I get involved?
Parishes, communities and movements are invited to host a Fiat
hour of prayer. Over the last few years, our local communities of grace, from Drysdale to Castlemaine, and from St Patrick’s Cathedral to Westernport, have taken part. Fiat is an opportunity for people to experience new ways of prayer and to deepen their daily prayer life beyond Sunday Mass.
In this Year of Jubilee, Fiat coincides with the annual universal Church initiative 24 Hours for the Lord, which is usually held during Lent. With a particular emphasis on the sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation), your community could offer this sacrament of mercy over extended periods, inviting people to enter the ‘door of hope’ and encounter the Lord’s boundless love. The Year of Jubilee is a particular time of spiritual pilgrimage—calling us to renewal in the hope of Christ.
Support your communities by organising a local Fiat hour of prayer using the resources below. As we draw closer to the event, this page will be regularly updated with the latest listing of Fiat prayers throughout our Archdiocese.
Fiat at St Augustine
Fiat opens on the evening of Friday 28 March at St Augustine’s Church on Bourke Street, 5–9pm, with groups and communities leading prayer at various times during the evening. There will also be live music, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and various priests present to offer the sacrament of Reconciliation.
There will also be an element of outreach, as volunteers will invite those passing by to ‘come and see’. All are welcome.
5–9pm
St Augustine’s Church
631 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Opening of Fiat
A night of prayer, adoration, music and Reconciliation
6.30–9.30pm
St Andrew’s Parish
105 Greaves Street North, Werribee
Encounter
An inspiring evening for teenagers to meet Jesus—food, friends, music, adoration, Reconciliation
Register here.
The Parish Jubilee Resource Pack contains a multitude of prayer ideas, including templates for a ‘Mercy Night’ with a celebration of the second Rite of Reconciliation, lectio divina and prayer prompts for families, households and individuals.
Does your parish have an adoration chapel or regularly gather for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament? Think about hosting an additional hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This may be a time of silent prayer, or you may like to incorporate a Scripture reading, music and time of intercession.
Many parishes have groups of parishioners who meet regularly to pray the Rosary. Perhaps your parish has a Legion of Mary praesidium. What better opportunity to introduce the rest of your community to this form of prayer? When we pray the Rosary, the prayer can slow us down, calm our hearts and enable us to rest in God’s presence. It draws out the deepest desires in our souls, desires for God and God alone.
Consider bringing your community together to reflect on the Scriptures using the account of the annunciation and the visitation. The four stages of lectio divina are like having a good meal: you take a bite (lectio), you chew on it (meditatio), enjoy the taste (oratio) and then swallow it (contemplatio). It is a ‘feasting on the Word’ that leads to a better knowledge of Christ.
Is your community familiar with Ignatian contemplation or another form of contemplative prayer? This is a way you can engage your prayer groups or regular parishioners in reflecting more deeply on the Scriptures. Ignatian prayer is a method of prayer that involves using our imagination to bring Scripture to life. Ignatian contemplation allows us to see stories that we may have heard countless times with new eyes.
Looking for a simple, meditative form of worship? Bring your community together for a time of Taizé prayer that calls us to dwell deeply on Christ’s presence around and within us. Chants (like ‘Jesus, remember me’), prayerful silence and short readings guide the focus of the prayer, often in a candlelit environment.