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

Prayer Spaces in Schools team leader, Phil Togwell, was the guest speaker, together with two members 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.

The seminars were jointly organised locally 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.

They said that “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 and activities that open up the heart of the young to release the pains, questions, aspirations, hopes, thankfulness and anger within them.”

Pastoral teams from Schools and organisations were 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 organisation, whilst building up on the sense of mutual support and solidarity lived during these days.

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 S.J. on Mob: 79826899, email: paul.chetcuti@maltadiocese.org

More information about Prayer Spaces in Schools may be found on: www.prayerspacesinschools.com.

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