What is PrayNet?

By directly exchanging PrayNet-cards filled in with their own prayers, children and young people all over the world are becoming united with each other and with God.

PrayNet can stimulate young people's natural interest in finding out how other young people live. Once you hold a PrayNet-card in your hands, written by a child from far away you will be asking yourself: how is this child feeling, how does he or she live? This first contact may eventually lead to a better understanding, maybe even to getting acquainted with each other, so that the children from far away won't be thought of as strangers but potential friends. Thus information may lead to initiative - the net of prayers can become a net of solidarity.

There is no difference between a prayer from a rich or a poor child. Being united in prayer is an example of real partnership among equals in the often quoted "global village": Those prayers can prepare the way to reconciliation and peace when children of nations in war with each other take part in PrayNet. As prayers are not limited by the question of which Christian denomination we belong to PrayNet helps children to practice real ecumenical life worldwide.

The participation in this worldwide exchange of PrayNet-cards can also help to realise the multiple tasks in church communities, youth groups or schools.

PrayNet may help to stimulate the participants' interest in foreign cultures.

Initiators

In January 1999 a group of pupils, teachers, monks and parents at the Egbert-Gymnasium Münsterschwarzach forming the "Ecumenical round-table" began to develop the idea of a worldwide PrayNet for children and young people. The project found the support of the Benedictine Abbey Münsterschwarzach. The project is officially represented by an ecumenical patronage: Abbot Dr. Fidelis Ruppert OSB of the Roman-Catholic Benedictine Abbey of Münsterschwarzach, Prince Albrecht zu Castell-Castell and his wife Marie-Louise for the Protestant Church.

The Abbey of Münsterschwarzach and the House of Castell are characterised by a an eventful and not always peaceful mutual tradition of almost 1200 years which finally led to today's well-working ecumenical cooperation.

Partners

Abbey of Münsterschwarzach

Egbert-Gymnasium

Missio München and Aachen

Missionswerk der Evangelisch - Lutherischen Kirche in Bayern

Patrons

Abbot Dr. Fidelis Ruppert OSB - Abbey of Münsterschwarzach

Prince Albrecht zu Castell-Castell and his wife Marie-Louise - Schloss zu Castell