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Learning about Prayer in the Catholic tradition Experiencing prayer in the Catholic tradition
Expressions of Prayer
Expressions of Prayer
Each activity of prayer may be expressed in a variety of ways. The Catechism of the Catholic Church identifies three expressions of prayer, namely: vocal prayer, meditative prayer and contemplative prayer. The end purpose of all forms and types of prayer is contemplation, where we rest, comfortably and peacefully, in the God who comes to be with us and to dwell in us.
Each activity of prayer may be expressed in a variety of ways. The Catechism of the Catholic Church identifies three expressions of prayer, namely: vocal prayer, meditative prayer and contemplative prayer. The end purpose of all forms and types of prayer is contemplation, where we rest, comfortably and peacefully, in the God who comes to be with us and to dwell in us.
From contemplation, transformation becomes possible. The action of speaking the words and moving our bodies is not the goal. They are the strategies used so that we simply "be." God comes to us and we rest in the presence of God. Contemplative prayer is the quiet centre of all communication with God. It is the simple act of God being with us and our being with God.
From contemplation, transformation becomes possible. The action of speaking the words and moving our bodies is not the goal. They are the strategies used so that we simply "be." God comes to us and we rest in the presence of God. Contemplative prayer is the quiet centre of all communication with God. It is the simple act of God being with us and our being with God.
Prayer is both a personal and a communal activity in most religions. When Christians pray together they celebrate God's presence and care in their lives. Prayer is sacred. The sacred is that other level of reality that we catch glimpses of and yearn to know. Christians associate this experience or other level of inner knowing with God, with the divine. During prayer Christians enter a space that we put aside, free from the distractions of ordinary affairs, where we can better get in touch with ‘the sacred’, with God.
It is a place we reserve and furnish for the one purpose of celebrating God as our Creator and the One who cares for us. When Christians speak of a sacred space they do not mean that God is there and not elsewhere, or even that God is especially there.
Today Christians recognise that all of creation is graced with God's presence. Hence there is a reluctance to speak of sacred places, persons and things as though the rest of creation is untouched by God. In the Christian tradition, a sacred space (be it in the home, classroom or church) might have an enthroned Bible, icons, candles, incense, music and similar symbols that draw one towards awareness of and communication with God.
Prayer is the raising of mind and heart to God. It is essentially a very personal activity, an expression of the relationship between an individual and God. There are no limits to how such prayerful communication can occur. It can range from being still in God's presence to singing God's praise and dancing, to quiet meditation.
The Church has a rich tradition of prayer. Common prayers that cover many situations are used for communal prayer. When entrusted to memory, their familiarity allows a focus of attention. They also provide an important reservoir for personal prayer at times when creativity dries up or stress makes prayer difficult. The Rosary and the Psalms are examples.
BCE Module Who is Jesus?The Catholic tradition comprises three major expressions of the life of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer.
The Catholic tradition comprises three major expressions of the life of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer.
They have in common the recollection of the heart.
They have in common the recollection of the heart.
- Vocal prayer, founded on the union of body and soul in human nature, associates the body with the interior prayer of the heart, following Christ's example of praying to his Father and teaching the Our Father to his disciples. CCC 2722
- Meditation is a prayerful quest engaging thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. Its goal is to make our own in faith the subject considered, by confronting it with the reality of our own life. CCC 2723
- Contemplative prayer is the simple expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, an attentiveness to the Word of God, a silent love. It achieves real union with the prayer of Christ to the extent that it makes us share in his mystery. CCC 2724
"Prayer doesn't change God, but it changes him/her who prays."
Soren Kierkegaard"Prayer doesn't change God, but it changes him/her who prays."
Jocelyne Benoit
"Is what I am doing with prayer deepening my love with God, my neighbour and myself?"
Richard Leonard - Why bother praying?"Is what I am doing with prayer deepening my love with God, my neighbour and myself?"
Prayer is an encounter with the mystery of God and we are invited into relationship with God through this encounter.
Prayer is an encounter with the mystery of God and we are invited into relationship with God through this encounter.
In Catholic schools students learn about prayer and are given opportunities to experience prayer in many settings, including the classroom, whole school gatherings and retreats or reflection days.
In Catholic schools students learn about prayer and are given opportunities to experience prayer in many settings, including the classroom, whole school gatherings and retreats or reflection days.
By experiencing different ways of praying personally and communally, spontaneously and formally, students learn how to pray, develop an appreciation for the richness of the Tradition, and are encouraged to make prayer part of their daily lives.
By experiencing different ways of praying personally and communally, spontaneously and formally, students learn how to pray, develop an appreciation for the richness of the Tradition, and are encouraged to make prayer part of their daily lives.
Through prayer the human person, alone and in community, acknowledges God as the source of life and love, and the yearning in the human heart to find meaning and purpose in life.
Through prayer the human person, alone and in community, acknowledges God as the source of life and love, and the yearning in the human heart to find meaning and purpose in life.
Prayer takes many forms. Liturgy is the formal prayer of the Church, but not all prayer is Liturgy.
Prayer takes many forms. Liturgy is the formal prayer of the Church, but not all prayer is Liturgy.
Prayer may be private or communal, formal or spontaneous, silent or spoken.
Prayer may be private or communal, formal or spontaneous, silent or spoken.
Prayer in the Catholic school is faithful to and founded in the richness of the Catholic Tradition. Crossways p 5
Prayer in the Catholic school is faithful to and founded in the richness of the Catholic Tradition. Crossways p 5
A Friendly Guide to Prayer Michael Whelan
The tradition of prayer within the Catholic church is rich and varied and complex. There are many people and themes and practices and sources that could be usefully studied. A much larger book would be required to do that however. In this beautifully presented and easy-to-follow new book, readers will be guided to find the enormous riches and complexity of the Catholic prayer tradition; enough practical guidance to enable them to begin, or perhaps to simply refine and deepen, their practice of prayer; as well as encouragement to go on exploring the possibilities in prayer for them personally, their families, friends and the wider community. This is for both gift and task. First of all it is gift. We begin with what God has done, is doing and will continue to do. What is on offer is god’s loving and liberating presence, all the time in all things. Secondly, we respond most fundamentally, this means waking up, becoming aware of what is going on throughout the cosmos, in each and every moment, person, event and thing. Oddly enough, waking up requires constant and consistent work. It is an ongoing task. That task is by way of facilitation rather than mastery. We do whatever we can to become present to the Presence, at all times, in all things. This is the way we will speak of prayer throughout this little book – being present to the Presence. Our focus will therefore be primarily on attitudes and dispositions rather than acts and rituals. It is the prayerful person we are most interested in, rather than the person who says prayers, the prayerful life rather than the mastery. We do whatever we can to become present to the Presence, at all times, in all things.
Contemplative Prayer
Contemplative Prayer is the simple awareness of the presence of God. It is prayer without words or images. Contemplation is not a method of prayer to be chosen at will, like meditation. It is a gift from God into which one is drawn. Contemplation in the Christian tradition more closely resembles what is generally understood as meditation in Eastern religions such as Buddhism.
Beth Nolen (1999) suggests that contemplative prayer has the following characteristics
• Faith and trust in the presence of God
• An inner awareness of God
• An awareness of the word of God
• A relationship with God in our hearts
• An act of commitment to God
• A response to the presence of God
It involves:
• Taking time to be alone with God
• Turning our eyes and heart towards Jesus
• Dwelling in God’s love and grace
• Silence
We use contemplative prayer to help us become totally focussed on the presence of God regardless of the noise or interruptions in the world around us. Contemplative prayer is not about talking to God or talking with God, rather it is being aware of the presence of God in the very centre of our being.
This type of prayer helps students to relax and de-stress and understand their connectedness to God and the rest of their world. It also can help them in their search for identity.
The Little Catholic Explorers’ Series opens up and makes available for young children, some important aspects of the Catholic church. As children join the two young explorers, Anna and Josh, on their journeys, they find out about church and prayer in engaging and inquisitive ways
Praying is an important way to communicate with God and Jesus. There is no one way of praying or one place to pray. This series assists young children to explore where they can pray, why they pray, how they can pray and how to pray silently.
Seeing the Text resources St John's Illuminated Bible Project
Seven volumes of the Illuminated Bible
PRAYER
The following sites offer regular opportunities for being actively led through prayer forms adapted from the Church’s great spiritual traditions. The experience of being led through prayer, for about 10-15 minutes a day, using a computer or downloaded files, is increasingly popular. You may read, listen to Scripture, music or guided reflection and gaze at inspirational or calming images, while sitting in front of a computer, or listen to downloaded MP3 or WMA files while travelling.
PRAY AS YOU GO Click to visit
Produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives (UK), this site offers you daily prayer for listening at the computer, or via MP3 or WMA. The Church’s Scripture Readings for each day are the basis for prayer and reflection which also includes quiet time, supported by peaceful traditional or contemporary music. Also provided are; Prayer exercises to help prepare for the day, a four minute breathing exercise and body exercises to assist calm and readiness for prayer and an eight minute prayerful review at the end of the day.
PRAY ONLINE Click to visit
This site offers a variety of options for prayer, based on the Scripture readings for each day onscreen, and available for MP3, podcast. The site provides prayer for adults, plus prayer links for use with children in schools.
SACRED SPACE Click to visit
Produced by the Irish Jesuits, this site invites you to “make a 'Sacred Space' in your day, and spend ten minutes, praying here and now, as you sit at your computer, with the help of on-screen guidance and scripture chosen specially every day.” Beautiful photographic images accompany a gentle progression from one part of the prayer to another.
TAIZE Click to visit
For decades, the ecumenical French Taize Christian community has drawn thousands of people, especially young adults, from all around the world to join in prayer and catechesis. Taize chants for Christian prayer are also well known. ‘Taize’ prayer groups are continually active in many parts of the world.
The ‘Prayer and Song’ link on the Taize home page, English language link, provides resources for prayer, including MP3, podcasts and reflections on topics such as; preparing a time of prayer, preparing a welcoming space for meditative prayer, meditative singing, the value of silence, icons in worship.
Creighton University Online Ministries Click to visit
Resources attached to this site, drawn from the Ignatian tradition. Include daily reflections and prayer guides, online retreats, resources and information for prayer, and much more.
Ignatian Spirituality – Resources from Loyola Press Click to visit
The World Community of Christian Meditation Click to visit Website for a worldwide community of people committed to a form of meditation which owes much to the Benedictine traditions. Fr John Main and Fr Laurence Freeman are well known teachers of meditation in this tradition.
Christian Meditation Australia Click to visit Australian website for the community committed to meditation, which draws upon Benedictine traditions. Well known teachers include; Fr John Main and Fr Laurence Freeman and others.
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