Do you need someone to talk to in a prayerful Catholic environment?
Whatever you are going through right now it can help to talk; it can ease the burden and help you to see the way through.
We offer a Ministry of listening and prayer for parishioners in need.
Helpers are trained to handle situations such as bereavement, loss, health issues, family and relationship problems, faith issues, depression, abuse, anxieties, workplace difficulties and life problems, amongst others. Over 18s only.
All Helpers have undergone training in prayer, listening, spiritual guidance, safeguarding and GDPR.
“I feel so very grateful to the Helpers and to the entire Ministry that this level of care and help is offered in our Diocese.” – feedback from a Helpee.
Please see more feedback at the bottom of this page from those who have been helped by the Ministry.
100% of people who have met with the Listening and Prayer Ministry have said that they would recommend it to other parishioners in need.
For all enquiries about the Listening Ministry please contact the Marriage and Family Life Coordinator on mflcoordinator@rcdea.org.uk
Booking Form
Please fill in the Booking Form below to request sessions with our Listening and Prayer Ministry Team.
If you are in crisis or in immediate need please contact the Samaritans on 116123
We offer hour-long sessions with two of our trained Helpers. Depending on availability, these can be held either on Zoom or face-to-face in some areas of the Diocese.
Please fill in the form below, and one of our team will get in touch via email in a few days.
Please note; if we contact you via telephone at any point, any calls from us will show up as ‘private number‘.
Please note: the Ministry takes a two week break over Christmas, and also a break during Holy Week and Easter Week, so we will be unable to respond during those periods.
For all enquiries about the Listening Ministry please contact the Marriage and Family Life Coordinator on mflcoordinator@rcdea.org.uk
Examples of feedback from those who have accessed the Listening and Prayer Ministry:
“I feel so very grateful to the Helpers and to the entire Ministry that this level of care and help is offered in our Diocese.”
“The training they have received must be first-rate, as I have benefitted widely from their ministry and have been able to move forward in my life now. Also, it was consoling to know that there is a whole team of trained people praying for the participants and the work of the ministry. I felt supported. Thank you!”
“Calm, active listeners. Prayerful, prepared, patient and punctual. Well-paced, unhurried. Bespoke responses and reflections to my comments and journey. Suggestions and ‘signposting’ to other options, choices, such as Spiritual Direction.”
“They were such a big help for me. The listening & praying ministry was a most needed support for me, emotionally & spiritually. They had conducted the meetings wherein I was comfortable to share & not be judged. My faith had been strengthened on the most trying times that I felt. The prayers that they said were from the heart & very solemn. I always left the room with so much hope & serenity. Both of them have such wisdom, empathy & compassion. I was very lost & confused when I first saw them, although my problem was still ongoing, they helped me to contemplate on my tribulations & reminded me that God & Our Mother Mary is with me.”
“They are open minded, patient and ready to help.”
“I appreciated the structure of the sessions and felt very supported and comforted by the Helpers’ generosity in listening and prayer.”
“I would like to thank my Helpers, may both of you be blessed in your ministry & please continue in helping other people in need. Genuine concern & compassion are truly needed today.”
“I really appreciate this offering of prayer and listening, and felt everything was organised professionally but with such empathy and care that made me feel supported – that helped tremendously. Huge thanks to my Helpers for their patience and guidance especially with prayer, and to everyone in the team for their prayers.”
“Very helpful and pleasant.”
“My experience of the Helpers was always positive. From the very first contact they put me at ease and this continued through each in-person session. The Helpers absolutely showed me Christian love of neighbour and demonstrated a deep faith in Christ and His Church. I immediately experienced a sense of peace and that I was safe to speak freely. The Helpers conducted the session by opening it with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to be with us and help us. They asked me what would be helpful to speak about and then they listened compassionately. They were amazing listeners and also took note of key progress points, which was helpful in keeping me on track as the sessions went along over the course of a few months. They also made helpful, tactful interventions now and then when there was a difficulty (especially a spiritual difficulty) that they could see was an obstacle for me. We’d gently talk through such a point and I gained perspective and solace. We covered a lot of ground in each session and they helped me to set achievable goals for each time we met. They closed each session with prayers of thanksgiving and the Glory Be. I left each session inspired and with my faith encouraged.”
“They both were attentive to listening to me and wanted to pray with me the rosary which was great.”
“They are qualified. Good value to meet them.”
“The time I spent with the two helpers encouraged me to go through all of the things I was struggling with at the time with a more positive attitude and they would bring me prayers printed on paper that I had not seen before. They are both very kind and empathetic to me and adjusted things to suit me as my health is not too good. I appreciate the prayer ministry itself and the time they both sacrificed to listen to me and give me that moral support I had not had before or since then”
