Interdenominational Prayer Movement

July 31, 1994
Brother John Raymond

	You can never tell who God will place next to you on a plane.
 Recently a sixty-year-old Protestant grandmother sat next to me. At
 first she thought I might be a Buddhist monk and was praying to
 figure out how to convert me. But grandma was relieved to find out I
 was a Catholic monk. As we talked I learned that she was part of a
 worldwide interdenominational intercessory prayer movement.
 Throughout the world Christians are praying that the kingdoms of
 this world will become kingdoms of Our Lord. Just as we are talking
 about Lumen 2000 in the Catholic Church so other Christians have the
 A.D. 2000 and Beyond Movement. They are interceding for
 neighborhoods, cities, nations and continents of the world. This
 woman told me about a group in California who have dedicated four
 hours of prayer a day for their city. They have been doing this for
 the past forty years. Now that's perseverance in prayer!
	It is interesting how God works with non-Catholics. This past
 June 25 160 million Christians prayed for the world to change. I
 find it significant that this date was chosen. This day happens to
 be the date chosen to celebrate Our Lady of Medjugorje as Queen of
 Peace. On this day Christians had 1,000 Concerts of Prayer, 5,000
 cities had prayer rallies, and 25 million Christians participated in
 Marches for Jesus. Some intercessory groups concluded their 40-day
 fasts on this day.
	The grandma next to me was happy to learn that I was a monk
 dedicated to prayer. She told me how much she loved the Holy Father,
 hated abortion and wished for unity among Christians (words that
 some Catholics never utter). Sadly, I got the impression that she
 didn't know of many Catholics involved in this interdenominational
 Christian prayer effort. I told her I wanted to be involved in it.
	Prayer is one thing that all Christians can do together in spite
 of differences in belief. This Protestant woman and I were able to
 unite in prayer before eating our meal on the plane. I remember when
 our parish group used to visit and pray with sick Catholics in the
 hospital how many non-Catholics in the same room would beg us to
 come and pray with them.
	This woman sincerely said that this prayer effort was not
 concerned with trying to convert Christians from one denomination to
 another. It was more concerned with converting the lives of the
 ministers and people within their own denomination. Also, it was
 directed to establishing Christ's kingdom on earth through the power
 of prayer. One interesting part of this movement is the
 "Adopt-A-People Clearinghouse." In this prayer movement intercessors
 adopt a family or families of non-Christian people to pray for. Many
 times a whole church will adopt a people. For those who might be
 interested in getting involved in this you can write to:

Adopt-A-People Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 1795
Colorado Springs, Co. 80901

	I think the Catholic Church should be represented in this
 interdenominational prayer effort. For those interested in a
 Catholic representation A.D. 2000 and Beyond Movement contact:

Mrs. Doris M. Wagner
Global Harvest Ministries
215 N. Marengo Ave. Suite 151
Pasadena, Ca. 91101
Tel: 818-577-7122 Fax: 818-577-7160

	Many times a Catholic representation or support of these
 movements dispels the myths that non-Catholics have of the Church.
 Understanding dispels misunderstandings. Let us get involved in
 these non-Catholic prayer efforts so that Our Lord's priestly prayer
 for unity, that all may be one, will be realized. (See John Chapter
 17)