About Us

The Intercessors

“Can you not watch an hour with me?” (Mt 26: 40)

In May 1959, very concerned at the difficulties affecting Christian marriage, Father Caffarel, the founder of Equipes Notre Dame, called for volunteers to form a great chain of prayers to intercede for marriage and the family. This need is greater than ever today in view of the many ways marriage is undermined at present.

People who wish to become Intercessors are asked to pray for one hour a month at a specific time and on a specific day of their choice and, if possible, to do so during the night (Father Caffarel believed in the special value of night prayer). Intercessors spend their monthly hour of prayer in whatever way they chose. There are two alternatives to the one hour of prayer. They are:

1.       committing oneself to fast one day a month on a specific day,

2.       offering the daily trials and sufferings of one’s life in union with Christ,

for the intentions that the Intercessors are asked to pray for.

A quarterly letter links all Intercessors throughout the world and contains a list of specific intentions to be prayed for.

 Intercessors today

Although the Intercessors were started by Equipes Notre Dame (Teams) and are coordinated from their International Secretariat in Paris, many non-Teams persons have joined their ranks over the years. There are at present 50 Intercessors in Great Britain including a number of priests and religious.

Intercessors participate as individuals or as a couple and some may chose to link up with other Intercessors in their locality to pray their hour of intercession as a group, in each others’ homes at an agreed time and date each month.

 Reflection by Father Paul-Dominique Marcovits, o.p. Postulator in the cause of the beatification of Fr Caffarel.