INTO THE DEEP

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INTO THE DEEP

Prayers from GC 36

of the Society of Jesus

HEDWIG LEWIS SJ (Editor)

This book is a collection
of all the “Morning Prayers”
conducted during the
36th General Congregation
(2 October – 12 November)
but with a difference!

This book is a collection of all the “Morning Prayers” conducted during the congregation (2 October – 12 November) but with a difference!

The 215 delegates at GC 36 were from across the globe. The prayer sessions reflected this international character by using a mix of different languages in readings, responses, and singing, But for the benefit of the participants, there were parallel translations or references (esp scripture) so that corresponding texts could be located in ones language.

“Into The Deep” keeps to the original framework but maintains a uniformity of language: English. It targets small local communities in South Asia. Thus, the prayer-services are user-friendly, with the scope of adding a regional flavour to them with more familiar and vernacular hymns

FOREWORD

General Congregation 36 (GC 36) of the Society of Jesus was held at the Jesuit Headquarters in Rome from 2 October to 12 November 2016. A significant feature of the proceedings was the daily Morning Prayer held in the circular hall, the venue of the day’s meetings of the 215 Jesuit delegates from around the globe

Thanks to the GC 36 Communications Team in Rome, and given their professionalism and state-of-the-art technology, anyone, anywhere, on this planet, at any time could “connect” with the Prayer Room via the satellite and participate in the sessions – with the prayer texts provided in advance..

I was so moved by the spiritual density and diversity of the Ignatian themes embedded in those sacred moments that I thought it would be worth preserving them for posterity. Late October, I contacted the Communications Team and informed them of my intention of collecting and publishing the Morning Prayers. Their quick response: “Everybody agrees that it is a very interesting idea and a good follow-up of the General Congregation, to bring about more spiritual fruits.” They referred this “project” to George Pattery SJ, President of the South Asia Conference (POSA), who immediately wrote to me saying: “I appreciate your initiative … I have sounded our men (JCSA) here about the proposal; they are happy about it.” And so you now have the book in hand.

“Into the Deep” adheres faithfully to the framework of the Morning Prayers as published on the “Prayer Room” of the official GC36 website. However, the foreign language texts have been removed and their parallel English renderings retained, or the English translations obtained from the references/sources providee. As, for instance, the Psalms. The hymns have been omitted, but they can still be accessed at: http://gc36.org/video-prayers/>. Communities can find appropriate hymns, particularly in the regional languages, for these prayer services.

The title of this book is drawn from the motto of GC 36: Row into the deep. This Congregation was unique. The over 16,000 Jesuits and their friends worldwide were invited to be part of the proceedings through the internet. All of us long-distance participants who ventured into sacred ambience of the aula during the Morning Prayer, were drawn into the “deep”...

We trust the same Spirit accompanies us, contemplatives in action, as we seek inspiration from these prayers, wherever we are, in every possible way, at all times – today!

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