The Prayer Intercessor Ministry: Lifting Our Youth to God

Many of us may be familiar with the poem known as Footprints, where the narrator sees footprints in the sand — one set for them and one for Jesus. When asked why there is only one set at the most difficult times, Jesus says, “It was then that I carried you.”

Rich Schneider compares the Prayer Intercessor Ministry to this poem. He’s spent the last year praying for a Confirmation student and wrote letters to the student throughout the past year.

“I think it’s important that young people realize that people are looking out for them,” Rich says. “It doesn’t mean we can remove the obstacles. We will help you get through it.”

Just as a Confirmation sponsor is there for the confirmand, the intercessor is there, albeit in a less visible way — through prayer. We may not immediately see the fruits of this prayer. But we can rest assured that God will bless the person who is being prayed for, daily. The intercessor will also be blessed.

“This prayer ministry is really important now when we don’t see a lot of people,” Rich says. “I consider this to be a major tenet of our faith. We can’t just be praying for our own needs, but also praying for others.”

The 2021 Confirmation students with Fr. Paul Timmerman — each student had someone praying from them as they prepared for Confirmation.

As Rich points out, this is a simple thing we can do for those in our community. Our youth, especially, are under a lot of pressure. Our prayers for them let them know they are cared for. And as Catholics, we unite in prayer for one another. Rich says the Prayer Intercessor Ministry is similar to the Prayers of the Faithful during Mass — we pray for those in our community, country, and world.

Rich thought this ministry would be a great fit, as he is a familiar face, serving as superintendent at Yellow Medicine East. He also can fit this ministry in his schedule.

“I can start my day in prayer,” he says. “I can find time on the weekends and spend a little extra time in prayer for someone else. This is a good way to spend my extra time.”

The beauty of this ministry is the intercessor does not need to know the student for whom they are praying. In that way, it’s truly a selfless ministry.

“I get as much or more out of it than the student,” Rich says. “It’s changing me and reminding me that I should not focus on self-pity, but think of others first.”

Ministry members are also needed to pray for the Faith Formation classes. If you would like to get involved in the Prayer Intercessor Ministry, contact Ann Voller 320-226-5205 or sjocoordinator@holyfamilyarea.org.