According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting St. John Damascene, "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God".[1] Roman Catholicism holds that prayer is necessary for salvation.[2] Prayer may be practiced alone or in a group; silently or aloud.
The Catholic Church teaches that no man can perform great deeds within the mystical body of Christ except by prayer, and unless the forces exercised rely on the power of prayer.[3] Cardinal John Henry Newman stated that: "If there is anything which distinguishes religion at all, which is meant by the very word, it is the power of prayer."[4]
Teachings regarding Prayer
Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a pure heart, persevering faith and filial boldness. Humility is the foundation of prayer.[5] The Gospel of Saint Luke contains parables illustrating that effective prayer is patient, persistent, and humble.[6]
Christian teachings have for long held that prayer involves the action of the Holy Spirit, e.g. referring to Romans 8:26, "The [Holy] Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words." [7] In Catholic belief, the Holy Spirit, as the "master of prayer', both inspires and guides prayer.[8] In
the Catholic encyclopedia, Rev. John J. Wynne, S.J. notes a Sulpician method that advises that prior to prayer, an act of adoration to God should be performed and a petition made for the prayer to be directed by the Holy Spirit.[9]
In his book "An Invitation to Prayer" Pope John Paul II emphasized prayer as the cornerstone of Catholic life.[10] Similarly, in her book "Everything Starts from Prayer" Mother Teresa of Calcutta stressed the importance of prayer in every aspect of life to Catholics, from multiple perspectives.
[11]
Section 2744 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy.[12] In the Catholic tradition personal prayer has been positioned as a source for personal strength, just as Jesus was strengthened during prayer in Gethsemane in Luke 22:43.
In Catholic tradition, there are many legends about the power of persistent prayer. In the fourth century, Saint Monica of Hippo is said to have prayed for the conversion of her son Augustine for fourteen years[13] and he eventually became an influential figure in Christian thought.
Despite the promises associated with the prayer, the direct measurement of its effect is often discouraged in the Abrahamic religions, e.g. Deuteronomy 6:16 states: "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God".[14]
The tradition of the Roman Catholic Church presents three principal expressions of prayer:
Vocal Prayer, Meditation (a prayerful reflection that begins with the Word of God and engages thoughts, imagination, emotions and desire in order to deepen faith, convert the heart and strengthen the will to follow Christ), and Contemplative Prayer (a gift from God in which one experiences a simple gaze upon Him in silence and love).[15]
Because it is external vocal prayer is the form most readily accessible to groups.[16] The Bible suggests that group petitions and prayers are different from individual requests. In Matthew 18:19-20 Jesus said:
“ Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." [17]
Mental prayer was defined by Fr. John Hardon in his Modern Catholic Dictionary as a form of prayer in which the sentiments expressed are one's own and not those of another person. Mental prayer is accomplished by internal acts of the mind and affections and is either simple meditation or contemplation. Mental prayer is a form of prayer whereby one loves God through dialogue with him, meditating on his words, and contemplating him.[18] It is a time of silence focused on God and one's relationship with him. It is distinguished from vocal prayers which use set prayers, although mental prayer can proceed by using vocal prayers in order to improve dialogue with God.[19]
Meditation is a form of reflective prayer which engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. There are as many methods of meditation as there are spiritual masters.[20]
Contemplative prayer is a silent attentiveness which looks at God by contemplating and adoring his attributes.[21]
"The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace."[22]
Forms of prayer
The basic forms of prayer are:
1. Blessing and Adoration (praising God)
2. Prayer of Petition (asking for what we need, including forgiveness)
3. Prayer of Intercession (asking for what others need)
4. Prayer of Thanksgiving (for what God has given and done)[23]
Roman Catholic tradition includes specific prayers and devotions as acts of reparation. These prayers do not involve a petition for a living or deceased beneficiary, but aim to repair the sins of others, e.g. when the name of Jesus Christ is taken in vain, or for the repair of the sin of blasphemy. Some such prayers are provided in the Raccolta Catholic prayer book, approved by a Decree of 1854, and published by the Holy See in 1898.[24] Some prayers focus on reparations for insults and blasphemies against Jesus Christ and the Holy Name of Jesus. Other prayers are as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary. Specific Catholic organizations with the purpose of promoting prayer as reparation have been formed.
Learning to pray
Although many promises are associated with prayer, in his book "The Way to Christ" Pope John Paul II warned against "mechanical prayer" and pointed out the need for self reflection before prayer.[25] And in his message for the 42nd "World Day of Prayer" he said:
"We have to learn to pray: as it were learning this art ever anew from the lips of the Divine Master himself, like the first disciples: 'Lord, teach us to pray!' (Lk 11:1)."[26]
In his book The Secret of the Rosary Saint Louis de Montfort went into significant detail on how to prepare to say a single rosary. He emphasized purity of intention before the rosary begins, the need for attention, focus and reverence during the prayer and the necessity of fighting distractions[27].
Devotions
Devotions are prayers or pious exercises used to demonstrate reverence for a particular aspect of God or the person of Jesus, or for a particular saint.[28] The Congregation for Divine Worship at the Vatican publishes a Directory of devotions and pious practices.[29]
The Sacred Heart of Jesus
From 1673 to 1675 Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque reported a series of visions of Christ speaking to her which led to her founding the Devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.[30] As part of her visions of Jesus and Mary she stated that Jesus gave her twelve promises directed towards those who pray and practice the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which promises range from receiving all the graces necessary for their state of life to the grace of final repentance provided they receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months.[31]
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary the day after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The contiguity of both celebrations is in itself a liturgical sign of their close connection. The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a celebration of the relationship of Mary with her Son's work of salvation: from the Incarnation, to his death and resurrection, to the gift of the Holy Spirit. Following the apparitions at Fatima in 1917, devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary became very widespread. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the apparitions (1942) Pius XII consecrated the Church and the human race to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and extended the memorial to the entire Church. In popular piety devotions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary resemble those of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: consecration of individuals and families, of religious communities and nations(189); reparation for sins through prayer, mortification and alms deeds; the practice of the First Five Saturdays.[32]
This Catholic devotion was approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.[33] According to Sister Marie of St Peter, a Carmelite nun who lived in ToursFrance, in 1844 she had a vision in which Jesus told her:"Those who will contemplate the wounds on My Face here on earth, shall contemplate it radiant in heaven." According to Sister Marie of St Peter, in her visions Jesus told her that He desired devotion to His Holy Face in reparation for sacrilege and blasphemy. She wrote The Golden Arrow Holy Face Devotion (Prayer) which she said was dictated to her by Jesus. The first Holy Face Medal was offered to Pope Pius XII who accepted it and approved of the devotion.[34]
Rosary
Medieval piety developed the prayer of the rosary as a popular substitute for the Liturgy of the Hours. [35].The significance of the rosary is widely emphasized in Catholic teachings, e.g. in his 1981 apostolic exhortation Familiaris ConsortioPope John Paul II said:"The rosary should be considered as one of the best and most efficacious prayers"[36], and in his encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae discussed how his motto "Totus Tuus" was inspired by the writings of Saint Louis de Montfort.[37]
The Prayer to the shoulder wound of Jesus is variously attributed to Saint Bernard, Saint Gertrude, or Saint Mechtilde. According to St. Bernard, he asked Jesus which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and the wound that inflicted the most pain on Him in Calvary and Jesus answered:
"I had on My Shoulder, while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound which was more painful than the others and which is not recorded by men. Honor this Wound with thy devotion and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit and in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins and will no longer remember their mortal sins."[41]
The modern version of the prayer bears the imprimatur of Bishop Thomas D. Bevan, bishop of Springfield, Mass. 1892. [42].
Chaplet of Saint Michael
The Chaplet of Saint Michael is due to a reported vision of Saint Michael the Archangel to the Portuguese Carmelite nun Antonia d'Astonac.
According to Antonia, Saint Michael asked her to honor him by nine salutations to the nine Choirs of Angels and promised that whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching Holy Communion, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs. In addition, for those who would recite the Chaplet daily, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life.[43][44]
