Weekly Meeting Guide

  1. Open with Prayer

    This prayer is said together at the beginning of each meeting. It unites all Exodus Men in one common and continuous prayer to our Lord:

    Opening Prayer

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…

    All:

    And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? (Luke 9:23-25)

    Reader:

    Lord Jesus, you are commanding us to be men for others. You are commanding us to leave behind old ways, to deny selfish desires, to embrace daily hardships with joy, and to orient our lives completely to you. Help us each day to learn what it means to lay down our life for our friends through a disciplined life of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. Give us a desire to follow you in all things; give us joy in suffering; and the courage to lead others to you.

    All:

    Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of this fraternity. May you continue to work through my brothers to challenge me and encourage me to be the man you are calling me to be: a man for others.
    Amen.

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

  2. Field Reports

    Each man comes prepared to give a ninety-second report of his experience in the field over the past week. His report should briefly cover all three pillars of the spiritual exercise: prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. Major shortcomings should be discussed, while minor shortcomings may be acknowledged. Lastly, gratitude should be given to God for the blessings of the past week.

    The fraternity leader is responsible for:

    • Seeing that each man in the fraternity shares adequately, but not excessively.
    • Ensuring that each man recounts the blessings of the past week.
    • Holding the meeting to its task and keeping it from devolving into a group therapy session.
    • Maintaining the fraternity’s focus on the mercy of God in the midst of their exodus.

  3. Daily Bearings

    The fraternity leader should choose one Guidepost from the week’s daily bearings and lead a discussion on it. The discussion should address how the men are living out the guidepost or possibly struggling with it. It may also cover the kind of changes in life that should be made for each man to better adhere to the guidepost. The fraternity leader can delegate a man each week to choose a guidepost to discuss at the next week’s meeting.

  4. Other Business

    At the end of the meeting, the fraternity leader should:

    • See that everyone knows the time and place of the next fraternity meeting.
    • Make plans regarding fraternity outings or appropriately delegate them to others in the fraternity.
    • Bring up other fraternity business such as arrangements for fraternity Masses or holy hours, times with a spiritual director, etc.

  5. Closing Prayer

    The meeting ends with the St. Michael the Archangel prayer for the spiritual protection of the fraternity, all Exodus Men, priests, families, and the sanctification of the Church.

    Saint Michael the Archangel Prayer

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…

    St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.