Rotations

Rotations are a 45min - 1hr. period in which different groups learn about and take responsibility for some aspect of the day together; aspects such as: Mass preparations, Liturgy of the Horus preparation, learning about and leading Lectio Divina and aspects of entertainment for meals and campfire.

Entertainment

The group facilitating entertainment for the day plans a meal activity or skit, plans a campfire or plans the talent/ variety show. They may need indications to know how best to do this.

Mass

This rotation usually begins with an introduction to the Roman Missal and the environs of the sacristy allowing for familiarization with preparation for the Mass. The the group proceeds to:

Pick songs (if there is no appointed music ministry)

Train and prepare the lector

Prepare an acolyte

Prepare Mass intentions

Sacristan set up (if there is not an appointed sacristan)

Liturgy of the Hours

This rotation has seen the most evolution, beginning with the group making a rote preparation to lead the next three liturgies and now today incorporates an introduction to the Mundelein Psalter and how to chant psalm tones. This has made it necessary to "mark up" the Shorter Christian Prayer books, pointing them with stars, dashes, and daggers. The mark-up has taken most of the 45 minutes in the past few years.

Lectio Divina

The group learning and practicing lectio divina meets in a quiet place and each group member has a bible. If there is a scripture specific to the event, it is read in contest of the chapter in which it is found. If there is no specific scripture, or if it is the second time the group does the practice, the gospel of the day is used.

The leader presents: What is Lectio Divina? Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading or "holy reading", and represents a traditional Christian practice of prayer and Scriptural reading intended to promote communion with God and to increase in the knowledge of God's Word. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen, and finally, pray, and even sing and rejoice from God's Word within the soul.

The progression from Bible reading to meditation, to prayer, to loving regard for God was first formally described by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk and prior of Grande Chartreuse in the 12th century. Guigo named the four steps of this "ladder" of prayer with the Latin terms lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. In Guigo's four stages, one first reads, which leads to thinking about (i.e., meditating on) the significance of the text; that process in turn leads the person to respond in prayer as the third stage. The fourth stage is when the prayer, in turn, points to the gift of quiet stillness in the presence of God, called contemplation.

Method: There are many ways to practice Lectio Divina, both by oneself and in a group. One method from the Monastery of Chevetogne, taught by Fr. Ireneus Jonard OSB, is:

1) Gather in a small group and choose a Scripture passage (about half a chapter or even a whole one - perhaps from the daily or Sunday Mass).

2) Begin with a short prayer or even simply a sign of the cross.

3) One group member reads the passage and then leaves about 3-5 min of silence to contemplate. Each person in the group picks a verse or phrase that jumps out at them or speaks to their heart in some way. At the end of the silence each person says this word aloud.

4) Another member rereads the same passage, again a pause for silent contemplation for about 3-5 min. At the end of the silence, each person says WHY they chose that word/phrase or verse. The others in the group listen without making comment.

5) A third and final time the passage is read by another member of the group followed by 3-5 min. of silence. At the end of the silence, each group member says a short prayer based on their reflection.

6) End with the sign of the cross.

The same method can be used alone, and instead of sharing the reflection out loud, it can be written down.