Lay prayer gathering in Tanzania Practiced in the Spirit Libermann's energy flowed from continually discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit in his life. Following in his footsteps, lay Spiritans are called to have a daily prayer life. Prayer for Libermann was a time of intimacy with God. He would not rush, and was attentive to God's time. Libermann would ask God for guidance and then would wait and pray. He only proceeded on a matter when he knew how. In this way, he counsels that people go forward only when God's call is made known. Move until a wall is reached and then take the time to stop and pray until the wall crumbles. God's graces should not be outrun. He writes: "What!? Are you going to give in to anxiety and discouragement? … What is all this? The works of God are not done that way. God does not wish them to be attributed to human power, His own power must be recognized in them. When obstacles appear we must go forward, forward all the time, stay at the foot of the wall, wait until it falls, and then continue on." Praying without ceasing was very real to him, but it didn't mean stopping his work. He said he did his best praying when he was interrupted with a new problem. He saw each new problem as an invitation to turn to God. Libermann writes, "I turn to God for help every time a new problem arises. As a result, the more I have to do, the more frequent are my contacts with God." Above all, the lesson is to learn how to love with God's love. Libermann writes, "If we know how to love, we know everything, we can do everything, we have everything, and we are everything." Gathered in the same Spirit Across the nation, groups of lay people are getting together to support one another in their spiritual journey and pray for guidance. At Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, lay people meet to learn about Spiritan spirituality and to pray together. In Houston, 60 members of the Western Spiritan Lay Associates meet once a month to discuss Libermann spirituality and attend mass together. The group meets regularly and nourishes each individual's call to follow the Holy Spirit. At Holy Ghost Prep in Bensalem, PA, there is a similar group of Spiritan Lay Associates. This burgeoning group has eight members -- including one Spiritan, Father Chris McDermott. The group of faculty and staff comes together monthly to pray, reflect on the Scriptures, and engage in discussion. Its aim is to help each person live the life of Spiritan spirituality. For the Lay Associates at Holy Ghost Prep, Spiritan spirituality may start in the classroom, but its lesson goes beyond the school walls. These teachers are given a unique position -- to teach Spiritan spirituality as well as offer a living tradition with the students. This tradition often finds expression in a mix of the professional and personal. Students gain perspective not only from what is taught, but how it is taught. A teacher's candor leaves an impression that lasts far beyond the lesson plan. For instance, choosing to share personal struggle with students as a way to minister strength. The hardship of being a mother and raising three children with serious medical conditions is revealed to students. The students and their families find refuge in the experience as they learn from a living journey of faith. By ministering to students and families, the acknowledgement of being Spiritan is concretely lived out in the Spiritan charism. The Spiritan vocation for professed and lay members is the same: to follow the call to individual ministry in a range of locations. As each person is called to a different ministry, the Holy Spirit is always present. There is not a need for all lay members to be doing the same thing. The unique situation of each individual's life enables the Holy Spirit to manifest in varying circumstances, while always remaining one unifying Spirit.