The House of Prayer Movement

The idea of Houses of Prayer was the inspiration of Father Bernard Haring, CSSR, who first broached the notion publicly in 1965. The proposal caught on like wildfire, and within a few years it turned into an international movement. The concept kindled the interest of many persons reading the signs of the times with regard to the renewal of religious life after Vatican Council II. Among these were Father Thomas Merton, OCSO, Sister Ann Chester, IHM, and Sister Margaret Brennan, IHM.

The basic idea of an apostolic congregation having a House of Prayer is this: With the profound changes in religious life that followed the Council, certain perennial values needed to be safeguarded and witnessed within religious institutions. These values include silence, solitude, prolonged solitary prayer, and the leisure to study the masters of spirituality -- all within a supportive community of like-spirited and praying persons.

Yet, Houses of Prayer are not exclusively for professed religious. They are also for anyone drawn interiorly to share in the experience of those values. Thus, people availing themselves of Houses of Prayer could be lay, religious or cleric from a diversity of ecclesial affiliations and religious traditions. Some guests could be spiritual seekers without any religious affiliation. Each House of Prayer has a "core community" which provides stability, continuity and hospitality.

Our HOME OF PRAYER

"When they reached the city, they went to the Upper Room where they
were staying ... all these joined together in continuous prayer."
(Acts 1:12-14)

In 1984, Sister Rosemary O'Toole, CSJ (Peterborough) returned from Lebh Shomea House of Prayer in Sarita, Texas where she had spent three years living with this contemplative-eremitical community. In response to her request to return home to Canada and start a non-monastic contemplative House of Prayer, her congregational leadership team assigned her to live on the third floor of one of their convent homes at 58 Primrose Avenue, Ottawa. Here Rosemary set up the first Upper Room Home of Prayer. (She named it a "HOME" of prayer to reflect the welcoming hospitality and familiarity that comes with visiting and revisiting.) In the spirit of the early Church it was truly to be a little UPPER ROOM  - a place of prayer in silence and solitude in the heart of the city of Ottawa inviting all searching pilgrims to come and pray and rest awhile. In 1990 Sister Evelyn McGovern, CSJ (Peterborough) joined the ministry and they have been the core community for the past 25 years.

Over time, the Spirit life grew abundantly in the men and women who came often to the Home of Prayer for spiritual direction, contemplative retreats and programs of spirituality. They left THE UPPER ROOM to circle the city with LOVE. Communities of spiritual directors manifested over time (our Emmaus Community) and we see now the emerging of our Little Design Communities spreading out around the city in homes where women gather to strengthen each other on the journey of faith.

Remaining faithful to our charism of letting LOVE love through us, all of our UPPER ROOM COMMUNITY continue daily in the rhythm of contemplation and service to the dear neighbour... each one according to the Spirit-gifts that have been given to us all. In gentleness, peace and joy... we celebrate God's life within us and amongst us... and we offer our neighbourhoods and world our small gift of fidelity to grace in the present moment.