Plant a Grove

Grove Guidelines

Planting a prayer grove is a simple, yet profound act of love. Seven hidden women each offer up one day of their week and all the sacrifices that come with it for the intentions of a specific Catholic priest, deacon, or lay leader. As part of a Magdala Grove, each woman commits to:

Sacrifice. Offer up one day each week for the intentions of a specific Catholic priest, deacon, or ministry leader, committing to remain a member of that particular Grove for at least one year.
Receptivity. Enter into her prayer day with openness to the Holy Spirit, abiding with the Lord and asking Him to show her how He is inviting her to pray, fast, or sacrifice on that day.
Community. Stay connected with the other women in the Grove. This could be through text, e-mail, mail, phone, virtual gatherings, in-person gatherings, or something else entirely! Our team will also send you an occasional e-mail so you can be encouraged and see where other Magdala Groves are being planted across the globe.

That's it. No detailed to-do list or prayer rubric. No specific expectations or obligations. Instead, we trust that by nurturing the feminine gift of receptivity, the Holy Spirit will guide you in how to pray throughout the day. He might invite you to offer a rosary, a holy hour, or a particular fast. Or He might invite you to offer another day of chronic pain, another day at home with the kids, or another day of that unfulfilled longing.

The simple and yet difficult secret of Magdala Grove is your receptive "yes" to Christ's invitation, whatever it may be that day.

"There is a beauty and solidarity that I have found with the women in shared groves and on shared days. There is a unity in the Body of Christ that allows me to spiritually bear the burden of the priest or leader I am interceding for. Each day and person is unique. One day there is a sense that the person I am praying for needs relief from anxiety or lust or impatience. Every prayer day is unique to the individual person and situation. A great gift and a Holy Call. I am blessed beyond measure to be part of hauling water for Jesus' many men and women in the front lines of church ministry."

Heather H.

Step 1

Identify the specific priest, deacon, or lay leader you'd like to pray for, or who has requested your prayer. The Holy Spirit often leads you to a particular person for whom your prayers will bear fruit.

Step 2

Personally invite six other women to join you in praying for that priest, deacon, or lay leader, using the guidelines above. Ask each woman which day of the week they would like to adopt as theirs.

Step 3

Click the button below to register your Magdala Grove and connect with women praying across the globe! Receive helpful tips, occasional updates, and a free Magdala sticker.

Step 4

Stay in touch with your Grove, forming a little community and interceding together in whatever way seems most fitting for the women in your group! In-person, virtually, or something in between.

Register Your Magdala Grove

Click the button below to connect your Grove's roots with other women praying across the globe - hidden, but not unseen. Ready to get started?

Are you a Catholic priest, deacon, or lay leader?

You likely already have a great deal on your plate! Our hope is that each Magdala Grove would be a gift, planted for someone like you who is laboring in the heat of the Lord's Vineyard. The gift of our lives given to protect the gift of yours. Good news joyfully proclaimed to the apostles. Can you think of a woman in your own parish or ministry who would love to support your ministry but is in a "hidden" season of sorts? Perhaps a stay-at-home mom, an empty nester, or a homebound widow? If so, ask her if she might be willing to plant a Magdala Grove for you and your intentions. You can direct her to this website and we'll do the rest.

If you need a little help, feel free to send us a message.

Catholic priest holding a little baby boy