A men's faith formation at Sacred Heart
Cor: a place to encounter Christ
A gathering of men who come together to pray, to listen, and to grow in faith. Cor is the Knights of Columbus movement to draw Catholic men closer to Christ and to one another, through prayer, formation, and fraternity. At the heart of our Cor is Lectio Divina, the Church's ancient practice of praying with Sacred Scripture. Men who have spent years in the pews tell us they have never prayed like this before.
Cor is Latin for "heart." Everything begins there.
How we pray together
Praying with Scripture, together
Lectio Divina, which means "divine reading," is a way of praying with the Bible that the Church has practiced for centuries. We do not come to study Scripture or to debate it. We come to receive it. A short passage is read aloud, slowly, more than once, with silence between the readings, so the Word has room to reach the heart.
This is the centre of how we gather at Sacred Heart. Reading and praying the Word together, in stillness and without hurry, has a way of quieting a man and drawing him closer to God, reaching places that a lecture or a study group never quite touch.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.Psalm 119:105 (NRSVCE)
What to expect
The shape of a gathering
Every gathering follows a simple, unhurried rhythm. You do not need to prepare anything, and you never have to speak unless you wish to.
We gather
We begin with refreshments and fraternity, a warm welcome and a handshake before we turn to prayer.
We open in prayer
A short opening prayer stills the room and turns our hearts toward God.
The Word is read
Scripture is proclaimed slowly, then again, with silence between for reflection.
We sit in silence
Quiet time to let the passage speak, and to listen for what God may be saying.
We share, if we wish
An open, unpressured time to share a thought. You may simply listen and pass at any time.
We close
A closing prayer, and more fraternity and refreshments afterward for those who can stay.
What is shared in the room stays in the room. It is a safe place, and it is meant to be.
Part of something larger
Prayer, formation, and fraternity
Christ is the heart of Cor. Our gathering is part of a wider movement across the Knights of Columbus, a framework that draws men together around three simple things. Lectio Divina is how we live them out at Sacred Heart.
Prayer
We encounter Christ together in the prayerful reading of his Word, and grow in our relationship with him.
Formation
As we listen to Scripture and one another, we are formed in faith and virtue for daily life.
Fraternity
We build a real brotherhood through honest sharing and the simple consistency of showing up.
Cor is meant to transform us, by drawing us closer to Christ and each other.Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight
Who can come
Every man is welcome
You do not need to be a Knight of Columbus to take part. You do not need any experience with Lectio Divina or any special knowledge of Scripture. Come as you are, participate as much or as little as you like, and simply be present.
Handouts are provided at each gathering, so there is nothing to bring and nothing to prepare. If you have been looking for a quiet, genuine place to grow in faith alongside other men, this is an open invitation.
When and where
- When
- The last Saturday of each month, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Where
- The Monsignor Hetherington Room, Sacred Heart Church, Calgary
- Before and after
- Refreshments and fraternity, with time to meet the other men
- Who
- All men are welcome, Knight or not, no experience needed
Come and see
Join us this month
Come to the next gathering and see for yourself. Bring nothing but yourself, sit with us, and stay as long or as little as you like. You will be among friends.