Held on Thursday 10 September, the Mass brought together people who have helped shape the ministry over two decades, including representatives of the growing international community producing versions of Pray As You Go around the world.
The Provincial of the Jesuits in Britain presided, while Fr Peter Scally SJ, who founded Pray As You Go in 2006, preached. The Continuum Choir, whose music regularly features in Pray As You Go, sang at the Mass, and bidding prayers were offered in different languages used by the ministry.
Reflecting on the anniversary, Fr Scally recalled how Pray As You Go began with experiments in a new form of daily audio prayer. An open trial was launched in March 2006 and quickly took on a life of its own.
“By Easter it had spread so far and wide that we just carried on going,” he said.
Twenty years later, Pray As You Go reaches more than half a million people each year and has inspired versions in languages and cultures around the world. Fr Scally said much of that development has been driven by those who have taken the ministry forward since its beginnings.
“A lot of the changes and developments that have happened recently have nothing to do with me. It’s been other people with their imagination and their creativity and their ideas.”
Emma Hudson, Director of Pray As You Go in Britain, said: “It’s such a big moment to be celebrating 20 years together, especially having all of the language versions together. It’s really moving. We’ve been a collaboration and a family together for all this time and gone on a journey together.”
Versions of the ministry have developed in different languages and cultures around the world, including Polish, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as Cantonese and a version in Egypt.
Among those attending was Fr Kevin-Maria Odey SJ, a Nigerian Jesuit and founder and director of A Moment With God, a West African partner of Pray As You Go. Material is now being produced in around six languages across Africa.
“It meets people where they are, because we’re in a world of busy, busy, busy, everywhere busy-ness, and Pray As You Go enables people to pray on their way to work, returning from work. No matter how busy you are, you are able to pray,” he said.
Pray As You Go is part of the Jesuit Institute and remains rooted in the Ignatian tradition of accompanying people in their relationship with God.
Fr Paul Nicholson SJ, Director of the Jesuit Institute, said: “That’s partly why Pray As You Go is part of the Jesuit Institute, because the Jesuit Institute itself exists to take spirituality out of the centres to where people are.”
Recent developments include Pray As You Grow, which offers imaginative prayers with the Bible for children and young people, alongside further Sign As You Pray content being developed with the Deaf community.
The Mass at Farm Street concluded with a reception, marking 20 years since a Jesuit experiment in digital prayer began a journey that now reaches communities across the globe.
For more Pray As You Go content please visit the website.
Photos courtesy of Maegan Martin, Creative Lead at Pray As You Go.
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