Domus Aurea, which means “House of Gold,” refers to one of the titles of the Blessed Mother. As a model of faith and icon of Holy Mother Church, Mary shows us reliable a path of holiness for all women. As the years pass and we see how choosing or neglecting virtue has affected our lives and those around us, we have an opportunity to bring this wisdom into our prayer—for those we love, for the sanctity of Church created to bear us safely to eternity, and for the whole world in great need of God’s mercy.

Mature women, in essence those whose primary tasks of caregiving, child-rearing, or other employment in the world is winding down, are invited to turn their attention to building a prayer life on which the world can depend. We can bring to this prayer a wealth of experience in God’s goodness, his patient mercy, and a confidence borne of witnessing miracles over the years.

Domus Aurea Prayer Intentions

• • Sunday: Giving glory to God amidst the trials of life
  • Monday: Prayer for healthy friendships for the young
  • Tuesday: Prayer for holy and stable marriages
  • Wednesday: Prayer for reconciliation and healing
  • Thursday: Prayer for vocations and the needs of priests
  • Friday: Prayer for the suffering, and for holy deaths
  • Saturday: Union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Domus Aurea Prayer Groups

While each of us is encouraged to create a faith-filled anchorhold of steady prayer for these needs (outlined in a Domus Aurea prayer booklet available here), we can also unite with other mature women to pool our intentions and support each other in this quiet, powerful task.

Monthly meetings at a convenient time and place will allow women to strengthen their resolve to persist in prayer. The leader need not do more than help to organize the schedule and facilitate an existing framework, which should be completed in under and hour:

• • Opening prayer
  • Catechesis
  • Prayer intentions
  • Sharing

Catechesis materials will be provided, but the essence of the group is directed by their own prayer needs. The only variable will be the “sharing” element which consists in one woman offering a short presentation of one of the following:

• • Recounting an important memory of a formative event
  • Detailing a devotion and where it came from
  • Sharing how an elderly relative or friend impacted your life
  • Explaining the significance of a family recipe
  • Outlining a particular skill or gift and how it has been used
  • Telling how an act of forgiveness reshaped relationships

These contributions can be light-hearted or serious, are meant to be conversation starters, and can serve to bond the members around shared cultural memories. Moreover, the act of sharing reminds each woman that she has wisdom to offer, even if she is unused to speaking or teaching. The benefit to the group is meant to show that in revisiting these common elements in the lives of women, we can appreciate how culture depends on linking different generations through such experiences, and how faith naturally follows.

Domus Aurea Prayer Books

These can be ordered individually or in bulk from St Martin de Porres Press. They contain daily and weekly prayers, as well as prayers to comfort in times of sickness, trial, and death. Anyone is welcome to use the prayer book, but when used in conjunction with regular meetings, the strength and sense of mission will be even greater.