| CONTENTS Preface Prologue |
ANTIOCH WEEKEND LEADERS MANUAL |
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| Introduction
to the Antioch Weekend
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SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR'S GUIDE
Since the Antioch Weekend, as a work of renewal is an action of the whole Church, it involves both clergy and laity. It proceeds most successfully when the priest, the leader of the Christian community, is its heart and soul. The function of the priest may be considered in three phases of the AWE movement: A. Before the AWE begins B. During the AWE C. After the AWE The work of the Antioch Weekend will have its best results when there is a priest in the area who is acquainted with the movement and who is ready and willing to undertake its pastoral direction. It is strongly recommended that the priest have made a Cursillo and have assisted at one or more AWE. It is important to under-stand this method of presenting an integrated picture of the Christian life in an environment which at every moment reinforces the joyous and triumphant message of the Gospel. A. Before AWE begins Experience indicates that AWE is most effective when it is the effort of a dedicated and well-trained team. The preparation of the team ideally takes place through the Leader's School which should be under the direction of a priest. The work of the Leaders' School is to form a group of lay faculty, students and priests into a Christian community which grows used to praying and working together for the intensification of the life of Christ in themselves and others. The role of the priest in the Leaders School is: I. to present the principles of the spiritual life in such manner that the leaders clearly understand their import and application in AWE; II. to arrange that the techniques of group dynamics, discus-sions, group reunions, spontaneous prayer, etc., are set forth for the clear understanding of the leaders; III. to ensure that the central ideas of each talk are clearly presented and that weekend is understood; to review the talks for their theological correctness and aptness; IV. to continue the formation of the leaders so that they are the leaven of those who have made AWE. B. During AWE The Spiritual Director is to be the sustaining spirit of the Antioch Weekend. Although his effort will be not be obvious, his influence should be everywhere felt-in encouraging and sustaining the team, in approaching those who are making AWE for the first time, in creating an atmosphere of joy, relaxation, serenity and quite confidence. It is important that the come to know each one who is making AWE and by his manner and openness reduce any barrier which may exist between priest and students. On his part there should be interiorly and exteriorly a ready acceptance of each so that no one will hesitate to approach him with trust and confidence. Although the organization and external direction of AWE is in the hands of the lay leaders, the internal and spiritual direction of this ascetical method is his. Hence, he must at every moment be in contact with the development of the Weekend, should be pre-sented at all talks, and use the free time to establish an easy rapport with those who are making the Weekend. It may be useful during the discussion periods to assist at the table discussions, spending one discussion at one table, the next at another so that he may be sensitive to both response and difficulties. He should make a point of taking the meals with different groups so that in this easy and relaxed atmosphere his interest and approachable-ness are evident. The party on Saturday night affords an excel-lent opportunity to draw close to these young men or women who are so ready to respond to grace. It is important that the Spiritual Director be present for the entire Weekend. The apostolic responsibility that is his and the needs of the Weekend demand nothing less. First and foremost, the Spiritual Director should be a priest, one who is concerned to bring men to Christ and Christ to men. He may or may not be athletic, he may or may not be an excellent raconteur these are the gifts which may serve as instrument of the Gospel - but what students want above all is that he be a man of God. All other things they can find elsewhere; this they must find in the priest. It goes without saying that the meditations and the talks for which the Spiritual Director is responsible should be carefully prepared. These are difficult talks since a great of theology must be clearly, succinctly, and compellingly presented. More-over, each point in the outline must be covered since future talks depend upon the schema presented. These talks, then, cannot be extemporaneous but must be the result of careful and prayerful preparation. The talks should be direct, forceful, lively, animated by the Gospel message. Above all they must not become an occasion of developing one's favorite theological opinion or current theolog-ical controversies. Such will only distract from, if not prove an obstacle to, the purpose of the Weekend. Students, on the whole, have plenty of occasion to play with ideas. The moments of the Weekend are for "the good news of the Lord Jesus;" the need is to meet the living reality of Him Who is their Brother and Lord, not to discuss ideas about Him. The meditation should be more informal, warmer in tone and given in such a spirit of intimacy with Christ as to naturally unfold in prayer. They, too, require no less preparation since for many the meditations will be the first introduction to a prayer that is meaningful, spontaneous and personal. If, in the course of the Weekend something should be said that is doubtful, unclear or creates general misunderstanding, the Spir-itual Director will take an appropriate occasion tactfully to clarify the point in question. He may suggest this be done in one of the leader's talks if this seems a more natural develop-ment. Of the priest as well of the lay leaders must be expected: 1. Spirituality: there must be the strongest conviction that the Weekend is the work of the Holy Spirit. Talks about be prepared in His presence and under His direction, and when all is done that can humanly be done, the whole Weekend must be entrust-ed completely and humbly to Him Who alone can make a lasting impression on the hearts of men. 2. A triumphal concept of the Gospel: Life lived in and with Christ is the secret of inner peace and joy. In Him we can do all things, in Him we can come to the fullness of Christian man-hood, in Him find the way to take issue with all that troubles us. The word of Christ must not be diluted or restricted by human prudence. He asks for much; He gives all and the idealism and generosity of youth seeks the absoluteness of the Gospel. 3. Idealism, self-surrender and a spirit of love which must sustain that of the lay leaders and gently diffuse itself throughout the whole Weekend. 4. A mastery of the techniques of the Weekend. The response of individuals is gradual and personal. By his knowledge and expe-rience he will impart a sense of confidence, particularly to the student leaders, who at times may be discouraged when their efforts seem to meet little response. The priest will be aware and help them to recognize by his awareness that God's and human time tables do not always coincide. The Spiritual Director should arrange with the leader the times at which he is available for confessions. These times should be as natural and as unobtrusive as possible. Where the "Means to Growth" cards is used, their review forms a good opportunity for initiation to spiritual direction. Where they are not, it is even more important that the Spiritual Direc-tor find occasion to talk to each about growth in the love of Christ and of bearing witness to Him. Friday Evening Ordinarily, the Spiritual Director will arrive at the place for AWE early with the team in order to offer Mass with them and to reserve the Blessed Sacrament. If time permits, Mass should close with an informal visit in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in which the work of the Weekend is entrusted to the Lord and His help asked for the team. Friday evening for the candidates will ordinarily be marked by an atmosphere of disorientation, if not of uneasiness and anxiety. The Spiritual Director should at this time try to meet every one in a warm and human way. Some of the students may be "turned off" with respect to the Church and/or the clergy. The approach of simple friendship may diminish their reserve. For others the presence of a priest in an unfamiliar environment may be reassur-ing. The break after the first talk, God's Call, should be used in this way as well. The first meditation follows this break. The Spiritual Director should slip away a few moments before the end of the break to visit the Blessed Sacrament and to ask for the assistance of the Holy Spirit. After the meditation he will hear confession in a suitable place. If possible, the confession should be so ar-ranged that confession might take place in the usual anonymity or a chair placed so that it may be a friendly conversation with absolution at the end. Some will desire a less formal manner of confession in order to make rather clearer the source of their difficulties, doubts or sins and thus begin the matter of spirit-ual direction. Both approaches to Confession should be available without any influence exerted to prefer one way over the other. (The Spiritual Director might explain this before he begins the meditation). When all that wish to go to Confession have been heard, the Spir-itual Director should meet with the leader to plan the liturgy for the following day. The celebration of Mass should be as fully participated as the diocesan regulations permit. It should be sufficiently planned so that disorder and confusion do not distract from the action of the Mass. There should be a sense that the Mass is the work of the whole Christian people, offered with and for them. If circumstances permit, it is well to have an offertory proces-sion and to gather the students closely about the altar for the remainder of Mass. Their closeness to the sacrifice will empha-size their identification with it and their offering, with the priest, of this act of worship in and for the Christian communi-ty. If possible, the Mass on Saturday should be the Votive Mass of Christ the High Priest. Saturday The Spiritual Director should arise a few moments earlier so that he is prepared to hear Confessions by the time the first student arrives in the chapel. Confession should not be heard during Mass event though more than one priest is present. Breakfast should be a light-hearted affair which the Spiritual Director will share seating himself, if possible, at a table with students whom he does not know very well. He will give the first talk of the morning which sets the frame-work for the day. The talk, as all talks, should begin with a prayer. It is helpful to outline the talk on the blackboard, use a projector, etc., to make the points clear. In a well-developed Weekend the other talks will refer to and be supported by this one. Hence, its importance. After the talk the Spiritual Director should go to the chapel to pray for some moments during the discussion. In the course of the break which follows, the Spiritual Director should be available. Several students, perhaps, will wish to discuss the talk with him further. These are important opportu-nites to discover the ideals and aspirations of the students, to become aware of those already opening to the action of the Holy Spirit and of those who are experiencing difficulty as they contrast their perception of Christianity with that unfolded in the Weekend. The Spiritual Director should be present for the following talk on the Christian community and for all talks. It is good for him to take notes. Ordinarily he should not sit at one of the tables but regularly where he can see, and be seen by, all. As he takes notes he can quietly and unobtrusively study the creation of those making the Weekend. Some will be tired, some sleepy, some already very responsive. These observations will suggest those whom he should find occasion to speak with individually. During the discussion he may find it useful to sit at a table and to share in the discussion. The aim in the discussion should be to let those who are making the Weekend talk to come to grips with the ideas presented. Because he is a priest the students may refer questions to him. These should be tactfully tossed back particularly in the early discussion so that the students unders-tand that they must explore these ideas. By sharing each dis-cussion with a different table, the Spiritual Director will obtain a feeling for the progress of the Weekend and any general difficulties that are experienced. During the moments before and after lunch he should move about among the students so that by mind-afternoon he has met all and had the opportunity to speak with them. The talk on "Being a Christian" will tend to polarize reactions. The Spiritual Director should be particularly attentive to the reactions during and after this talk. From this time on many will have understood and reactions, remain quiet or only seem to take part. The afternoon break will be most welcome. Usually the students will feel the need for sports and exercise. The Director should be available to confer with the students or any of the leaders. He may, when free, join in the sports if so inclined. The talk "Growth" will answer many of the questions the previous talk has raised. Ordinarily the majority will be eager to learn to live as Christians. By this time the Spiritual Director, through his own observations and those of the leaders, should be aware of those who are having difficulty and be seeking an oppor-tunity to speak with them, if that is indicated. The meditation of "Life as Giving" should integrate the events of the day into personal life of the students. At the same time it suggests the theme of Sunday - that the Christian must give if life is to continue in himself and others. This meditation should last no more than 12 minutes and is followed by the Sta-tions. After the Stations it is good practice to have the vener-ation of the Cross, as on Good Friday. Most will remain in the chapel to pray. Some may wish to go to Confession if they have not already gone or to take this opportunity to renew their increased sorrow for sin. Dinner will be a very happy occasion whose joy the Spiritual Director will share completely. Before dinner he should explain the meaning of blessing things, remind them of the Constitution on the Liturgy of Vatican II that speaks of their power of bless-ing, and teach them how to bless the food. He should suggest that he wants them to bless the food with him. As they eat together so should they consecrate (set aside for God) this meal together. The break following dinner is an excellent opportunity for per-son-to-person contact. Ordinarily any reserve students feel with the priest will have their relation to Him. Conversation should unfold gently and naturally. If some resistance is experience or difficulties are not willingly disclosed, there should be no pressure. Rather, a generous attitude of openness and joy in helping should be communicated. The Spiritual Director should pay careful attention to the sum-maries to see that what has been communicated is clear and that appropriate emphasis has been given to the work of the day. If something needs to be remedied it may be provided for at the evening with the team. He should participate fully in the party. It is well at this time to move about from group since this is the most relaxed and communicative of such a nature that they cannot be dealt with adequate then make a definite appointment for after the party or the morrow. After Night Prayer the Spiritual Director or another priest should be available for confession for some moments. Sunday The Spiritual Director should arise somewhat earlier than the appointed time in order to be available for confessions before Morning Prayer. The time of Mass on Sunday will vary with cir-cumstances and locality. It should as on the previous day, be highly participated. If possible, communion should be under both species for all presents at the Weekend. The first talk of the day is an excellent ordinarily given by the Spiritual Director. It is the "Church and World" and sets the theme for the day: the Christian community must share Christ with hose who are unaware of Him, and there are many such in the complex world of today. He should visit the Blessed Sacrament before the talk and spend some moments with the Lord afterward. During the break he should seek out those who are still experi-encing difficulties. It is also an opportunity to discuss the points of the talk more fully and to emphasize the responsibility of each Christian to bring Christ to the world. Today the Spir-itual Director may be much more direct giving positive sugges-tions on living a full Christian life. The "Means to Growth" cards will have been distributed after the talk on "Growth". Some will be ready to make a definite commit-ment to a regular life of prayer, study, action. After the talk on "Mission " the Spiritual Director should be available in the chapel or elsewhere so that those who wish may discuss their commitment with him. The commitment should be generous but not burdensome and emphasis placed on regularity. Under the impetus of the Weekend some, in their generosity, may make excessive commitments which they will not be able to sustain and will become discouraged. The Spiritual Director should see that commitments are prudent. The Lord is more interested in fidelity than in quantity. During the afternoon break there will be occasion to talk to students about their plans for living the Christian life. After the Group Reunion is explained the regular commitment may seem more meaningful. At the prayer meeting the Spiritual Director should pray last summing up the Weekend by praising the Lord and thanking Him for it, by renewing the trust and confidence of the group in Him and in the assistance of His Holy Spirit. At the end he should give a very short talk emphasizing the value of the Christian community that all have experienced at the Weekend has drawn all closer together; however, those who have made the Weekend should not become an "in" group. What they have received they must share. At the conclusion of the Weekend he gives his blessings which may be preceded by a prayer for a safe journey home if teams or students have a distance to travel. In the praise of Christ. Amen. C. After AWE Although AWE is successful in presenting Christianity as a life which is both possible and desirable to live, it is in itself only an awakening. Success in sustaining a vital Christian life will depend in great measure on the possibility of the student returning to a vital Christian community and to competent and sympathetic spiritual direction. It is particularly through spiritual direction that the priest will have the opportunity to sustain, guide and encourage those who are to be leaders in the Christian renewal of the campus. Youth, although tremendously generous, is easily discouraged and these young apostles must be sustained when the impetus of AWE, and the consequent ease with which the Christian life is lived, wears off. Old habits, envi-ronment and the spirit of evil will exert their various pres-sures; the experience that death to self and the release of the new man is not accomplished in an instant is disconcerting; above all, patience with self must be acquired. An experienced direc-tor who will anticipate many of these difficulties, who is always ready to understand and encourage, who knows how to lead into the avenues of prayer is, in conjunction with the group reunion, an almost indispensable instrument in the work of perseverance. |
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