MERRILLVILLE – Prayer is much more than making the sign of the cross and mumbling the words to a few written verses, and the Diocese of Gary will host a five-week study to prove just that.
“Prayer is talking to God and listening to God,” said Sean Martin, diocesan coordinator of Catechesis and Faith Formation, “but you don’t often hear about the depth of prayer that we will go into in this series.”
The “Catechism Series on Prayer” will be held from 6:30- 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Feb. 25 to March 25, at the Pastoral Center, and will be led by Martin.
“It’s a continuation of our study of the Catechism, and follows the series last fall on The Creed,” noted Martin. “The first session will offer an overview of prayer as it is explained in the Catechism. It will mainly be a lecture, but there will be time for questions and answers, and I hope to implement some of the things we are learning by going into the chapel and actually praying.”
The series, said Martin, “is open to anyone who wants to learn more about their prayer life and go deeper into their relationship with the Lord. All ages are welcome, including families with children.”
The Catechism has much to teach about prayer, said Martin, some of which may provide a new perspective. “As Catholics, we have a lot of written prayers and devotions – vocal prayers – and that gives the impression that is all there is, but there is a lot more to having a full prayer life,” he added.
“There are three expressions of prayer – vocal, meditative and contemplative, as well as different forms of prayer,” said Martin, who listed adoration, blessing, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and praise.
The series will also discuss prayer as seen throughout scripture and praying with the saints. “We will cover the spirituality of the saints, such as St. John Eudes, who captured the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary by honoring them in the liturgy.”
The final session will be devoted to an in-depth study of the Our Father. “There is a lot compacted into the Our Father, which Jesus gave to us when he was asked to ‘Teach us to pray,’ said Martin. “In its structure and meaning, it offers all the expressions and forms of prayer, and the Catechism teaches that. We will reflect on it line by line, and then when we pray it at Mass, it will have more meaning.”
The Rosary will also be studied in the prayer series. “It is a great prayer, both vocal and meditative,” Martin said. “It is about praying the Our Father and Hail Mary, but we are also called to think about the mysteries that are associated with each decade of the Rosary. It is a great prayer to pray on a consistent basis.”
By focusing on all the expressions of prayer, not only vocal prayer, participants will gain the opportunity to deepen their own prayer life. “Meditative prayer honors the mysteries of God and the relationship to our lives, as we try to improve,” said Martin. “Contemplative prayer starts with God and is a gift that is given, not something we do. We need to be open to the gift. The greatest saints exhibited contemplation through things like levitation and spiritual ecstasy.
“I think that a lot of people think that prayer, as good as it is, is just about praying for yourself and for others, but there’s more to it than that, it’s deeper than that,” Martin said.
To register for the Catechism Series on Prayer, which costs $25, visit dcgary.org, scroll down to and click on the event box, and click on ‘Register.’ Bring your catechism and materials to take notes.
Caption: John and Beverly Crouch, of Hobart, pray before Mass on Feb. 1 at St. Bridget in Hobart, the feast day of the parish’s namesake. Prayer can take several forms, which will be explored in a four-week Catechism Series on Prayer that begins on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in the Diocese of Gary. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
