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Equipes Notre Dame Teams |
A team is composed of four to six couples assisted by a spiritual counsellor. The members of the Teams are Christian couples, united by their desire to live their married lives as a sacrament.
The team meets once a month at the home of one of the couples. It is very important for all the members of the team to be present in order to promote harmony and preserve the unity of the team.
There are four parts to the meeting and sufficient time must be allotted to each:
a simple meal, during which couples share their personal and family news including their highs, lows, delights and struggles
communal prayer,
sharing on the endeavours,
exchange of views on the study topic
The monthly meeting is a special time of mutual help.
The 'Endeavours' are at the heart of the Movement. They are not tasks to be accomplished, but inner attitudes that have to be understood and practised. They are a discipline that helps Team couples apply the Gospel in their daily life.
The endeavours are an invitation to:
to listen regularly to the “Word of God”,
to turn to God daily in silent prayer: “personal prayer”,
to pray together daily as a couple: “conjugal prayer”, and where appropriate with the children: “family prayer”.
to make time each month for true dialogue together: the “sitting-down”,
to choose some specific points of personal effort: the “rule of life”,
to make a “retreat” once a year .
Members of Equipes Notre-Dame unite themselves daily by praying the Magnificat; Mary’s prayer of hope and acceptance and they have placed themselves under the patronage of Mary. They believe that there is no better guide to follow because she “stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord” [Lumen Gentium]. Teams is not a Marian devotion group nor an action group but a group of active Christians.
The word ‘team’ implies that we rely on one another in our striving for a common goal. It is important that everyone should follow that spirit and honestly endeavour to achieve the communal discipline. Couples should, however, feel free to leave if they find that Teams is not for them.