View source for The Catholic Way to Pray

'''Title:'''  The Catholic Way to Pray An Essential Guide for Adults

'''Author:'''  Kathleen Glavich, SND

Go back to [[Books]] list
= Content =
== Introduction ==
== 1. Prayer: Connecting to God ==
* While on Earth we yearn for God, as St. Augustine expressed in his famous prayer, "Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in you."
* Philosopher Blaise Paschal described this act as having a hole in ours that can only be filled by God. 
* In this life we can come into God through prayer, traditionally defined as the "lifting of the mind and heart to God". Whenever we think of or speak with God, we are praying.
* St. Teresa of Avila defined prayer as "a conversation with one whom you know loves you." 
* Prayer involves both speaking and listening. 
* How God Speaks
** All of God's creation
** Sacred Scripture
** Through other people. Their words and actions can convey a divine message
** Through our experiences, even our dreams
** Most intimately, God speaks to through our thoughts...

== 2. Five Forms of Prayer ==
# Blessing/Adoration
#* A blessing is a sacramental that asks Gods favor and grace upon a person or object. A blessing is usually imparted by an ordained minister bus also can be given by a lay person. The words of a blessing may be accompanied by outstretched hands. the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of water.
#* Catholics adore God alone. This adoration of the divine is called ''latria''. We do not adore the Blessed Virgin Mary and other saints who, though holy, still are merely human beings. The honor or veneration we give to the saints is called ''dulia''; the honor we give too Mary, the Mother of God, is called ''hyperdulia''
# Petition
# Intercession
# Thanksgiving
# Praise

== 3. Varieties of Prayer ==
* Vocal
* Personal
* Traditional formulas such as the our father
* Prayers composed by saints and other people
* Our original compositions
* Spontaneous
* Singing
* Meditation, that is, thinking about God or the things of God. 
* Contemplation, the highest form of prayer, a wordless prayer in which we simply rest quietly in God's presence, basking in God's love. Intuition more than reasoning is involved.

== 4 . Jesus, Teacher of Prayer ==
When the apostles asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave us the Our Father. or the Lords Prayer. This prayer has Seven
petitions. Three of them refer to God. and four to people. Here
is an explanation of the words:
* '''Our Father''': We dare to address God as Jesus did, familiarly, as OUR Father. Because the Father,  Son, and Holy sirit are, one, we are addressing the whole Trinity. The "Our signifies our communion with all other believers.
* '''Who art in heaven''': Where God is, there is Justice and perfect happiness. Heaven is our homeland and already exists in the hearts of the just.
* '''Hallowed be thy name'''. "Hallowed" means holy or blessed". A person's name stands for person himself or herself. In this statement we glorify God and ask that everyone live in a way that hallows God.
* '''Thy kingdom come''': God's kingdom or reign is one of peace, justice, and love. We pray that it will spread throughout the world. We pray for the final coming of Christ and the fullness of the kingdom.
* '''Thy will be done''': We pray that people will follow God's all-wise plan.
* '''On earth as it is in heaven''': in heaven angels and saints constantly do what is pleasing to God.
* '''Give us this day our daily Bread''': Bread stand for what we need to live. We depend on the good God for all of our necessities. This bread can also signify-the Eucharist.
* '''And forgive us our trespasses:''' We ask God to forgive our sins and failings. 
* '''As we forgive those who trespass against us:''' A dangerous petition because we are asking God to forgive us to the extent that we forgive others.
* '''And lead us not, into temptation:''' We ask God to help us discern what is wrong and to keep us safe from whatever may lead us to sin.
* '''But deliver us from evIl:''' We petition God to protect us from evil, or the Evil One.

== 5. Setting the Stage for Prayer ==
== 6. Times to Pray ==
== 7. Challenges to Prayer ==
== 8. Liturgical Prayer ==
* Mass
* Liturgy of the Hours - Divine Office

== 9. Scriptural Prayer ==
== 10. More Prayer Styles. ==
== 11. Catholic Devotions ==
* Devotions to Mary and the Saints
* The Rosary [http://www.theholyrosary.org/ The Holy Rosary.org]
* Divine Mercy Chaplet
* Stations of the Cross
* Eucharistic devotions

== 12. Catholic Prayers ==
== Catholic Prayer Words ==
* '''adoration'''
** our response of praise to God as we stand in awe of his great power, majesty, and goodness.  Source [[The Catholic Way to Pray]]
* '''aspiration'''
**a one-line prayer. Also called ejaculation.
* '''Benediction'''
** a Eucharistic devotion in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a monstrance and we are blessed with it.
* '''blessing'''
** a sacramental that asks Gods favor and grace upon a person or object. A blessing is usually imparted by an ordained minister bus also can be given by a lay person. The words of a blessing may be accompanied by outstretched hands. the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of water.
** 1) a prayer calling on God to bestow gifts on a person or to ask God to mark a certain object or place, such as a house, with favor and divine protection; 2) can also set apart a place or object as a means of grace, for example rosaries are blessed; 3) can mean the act of God bestowing grace and favors, as when we say that God blesses us; 4) We can bless God, which means to praise God. canticle: a sung prayer.
* '''centering prayer'''
** a silent prayer that focuses on God dwelling in the center of us. When attention wanders away from God, we use a word or phrase to come back to God. In essence, centering prayer is resting in God, enjoying God's presence. See page 58.
* '''chaplet'''
** a prayer form that uses beads, such as the rosary.
* '''communal prayer'''
** prayer that is prayed together.
* '''contemplation'''
** the highest form of prayer, a prayer without words. We are totally rapt in God's presence.
* '''contrition'''
** We express sorrow for sin, ask forgiveness, and intend to avoid sin in the future.
* '''Divine Office'''
** see Prayer of Christians.
* '''Eucharistic devotions'''
** special prayers in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, such as visits to the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.
* '''examination of conscience'''
** a review of our life to notice where we have cooperated with God's grace and where we haven't. It is part of preparation for the sacrament of Reconciliation and recommended to be made each night.
* '''exposition'''
** making the sacred host visible for adoration by setting it in a monstrance.
* '''grace before/after meals'''
** In grace before meals we ask God to bless us and the food we are about to eat. In grace after meals we thank God for our food.
*''' holy hour'''
** an hour spent in prayer usually before the Blessed Sacrament.
* '''indulgence'''
** the canceling of the debt of satisfaction owed for sin by certain prayers or practices. It can be partial or
plenary (complete).
* '''intention'''
** in prayer, it is some cause for which we offer intercessory prayer, such as world peace.
* '''intercessory prayer'''
** we ask for something on behalf of another person. Jesus is our intercessor because he constantly prays to the Father for us.
*''' Jesus prayer'''
** "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." It is repeated over and over and can be synchronized
with breathing.
* '''journaling'''
** writing one's thoughts and prayers, sometimes daily. This practice makes us more reflective and can
produce a richer prayer life.
* '''labyrinth'''
** a circular path that leads to the center of a circle. As we walk the labyrinth, we pray on the way to the center, which stands for God, and on the way out into the world again. See page 60.
* '''lectio divina'''
** sacred reading, a method of prayer that leads to union with God in contemplation. The four steps are:
**# read a passage and stop when a word or phrase catches your attention,
**# reflect on your "word,"
**# respond to God in prayer, and
**# rest in the presence of God. See page 51.
* '''litany'''
** a long prayer invoking God, Mary or a saint under many titles.
* '''liturgy'''
** the public worship of the Church: the Eucharist, the sacraments, and the Divine Office.
* '''Liturgy of the Hours'''
** see Prayer of Christians.
* '''mantra'''
** a prayer word or phrase that is repeated continually.
* '''May crowning'''
** a Marian devotion in which a statue of Mary is crowned. This usually occurs in May because it is
her month.
* '''meditation'''
** mental prayer in which we ponder God and the mysteries of our faith.
* '''mental prayer'''
** prayer that occurs silently in our minds as opposed to vocal prayer, which is said out loud.
* '''novena'''
** praying a prayer for nine consecutive days or nine hours. The practice is derived from the nine days that Mary and the disciples prayed waiting for the Holy Spirit to come
at Pentecost.
* O-antiphons
** nine short prayers that invoke Christ using Old Testament titles. They are prayed in the liturgy on the days right before Christmas. See page 97.
* '''octave'''
** eight days of prayer.
* '''petition'''
** prayer asking God for something such as healing, a safe journey, or forgiveness. Jesus encouraged this kind of prayer.
* pilgrimage
** a journey to a holy place, such as the Holy Land or a shrine, for religious purposes.
* '''prayer service'''
** a celebration with a religious theme that incorporates Scripture, prayers, quiet time for reflection, and hymns.
* '''procession'''
** walking in honor of God usually within a liturgical or devotional service. For example, there are processions within the Mass, and on Good Friday people may process outside with a cross or statue of Christ.
* '''Prayer of Christians'''
** also called the Liturgy of the Hours and the Divine Office, the official daily prayer of the Church in which the entire day is sanctified. Priests and some religious are obliged to pray it, and all Christians are invited to pray it. There are seven times or hours when these prayers are prayed.
* '''psalms'''
** the 150 prayer-songs in the Bible's Book of Psalms. They are the Jewish prayer book, and have been adopted by Christians. The psalms, which are Hebrew poetry, express the whole gamut of stances we have toward God: praise, lament, contrition, and thanksgiving.
* '''Raccolta'''
** a book that is collection of indulgenced Catholic prayers and practices. It was last published in Rome in 1898.
* '''retreat'''
** a period of time when we withdraw from everyday life and activities to focus on God and our relationship with God. A retreat can be a half day or as long as thirty days. Usually it has various prayer activities, including time for quiet prayer, talks by a retreat director, the celebration of the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Penance.
* '''rosary'''
** a Marian prayer in which we meditate on mysteries in the life of Christ while praying Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes on a circle of beads. Mary asked us to pray the rosary in her appearances at Lourdes and Fatima.
* '''sacramental'''
** a blessing or an object that has been blessed and whose use brings graces through the merits of Jesus
and the prayers of the Church.
* '''scapular'''
** an indulgenced sacramental, two small pieces of cloth connected by strings that are worn around the neck. It shows devotion, usually to Our Lady, and is worn continually. After a person has been invested in a cloth scapular by a priest, a scapular medal may be substituted for it.
* '''Stations of the Cross'''
** Way of the Cross a devotion in which we remember Jesus' passion as we walk from station to station and pray. Each of the fourteen stations has a cross and art depicting one event of the passion.
* '''spiritual bouquet'''
** a gift of prayers and good works. It usually lists the numbers of prayer and good works that are being offered for the recipient.
* '''spontaneous prayer'''
** informal prayer, vocal prayer that is not written down, prayed by rote using a formula prayer, or rehearsed.
* '''Taize prayer'''
** the Taize method of praying originated with an ecumenical community of monks in Taize, France. It mainly consists of chanting short prayers over and over alternating with periods of quiet prayer.
thanksgiving: a main purpose of prayer. We express our gratitude to God for all his loving acts of creation and redemption.
* '''triduum'''
** three days of prayer, such as the Holy Week Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday/Easter Sunday.
* '''veneration of a relic'''
** relics are parts of a saint's body, something a saint has used, or material that has been touched to a saint. These are displayed in a case called a reliquary and people may venerate them in a ritual of prayer.
* '''Viaticum'''
** the Communion that a dying person receives
* '''vigil light'''
** votive candle, a candle that is lit for an intention. A prayer is said and a donation is made. The flame represents the prayer rising to heaven.
* '''vocal prayer'''
** prayer prayed aloud.

= Other facts =
* '''Used for:'''  RCIA class on [[Prayer]]
* '''Purchased:''' 7 May 2012


== Bibliographic info ==

Relevance:	    
LC control no.:	2009926116
LCCN permalink:	http://lccn.loc.gov/2009926116
Type of material:	 Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
Personal name:	 Glavich, Mary Kathleen.
Main title:	 The Catholic way to pray : an essential guide for adults / Kathleen Glavich.
Published/Created:	 New London, CT : Twenty-Third Publications, c2009.
Description:	 112 p. ; 22cm.
ISBN:	9781585957552 (pbk.)
Subjects:	 Prayer --Catholic Church --Study and teaching.
Spiritual life --Catholic Church.
LC classification:	 BV214 .G524 2009
CALL NUMBER:	 BV214 .G524 2009
Copy 1
-- Request in:	 Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms
-- Status:	 Not Charged


Published/Created	

LC control no.
Type of materia

Description
ISBN

Notes	Includes index.
Subjects	
LC classification
Dewey class no.