How do Catholics pray?

Answer 1

Answer:

For Catholics, there is a simple guideline (and it applies to all) when they pray:

"Say what you mean and mean what you say."

This can be done through making up one's own prayers or using prayers written by others, taking part in the Eucharist, reading The Bible, meditating on the rosary, contemplating the beauty of God's creation (Nature), meditating on a passage from the Gospels, sitting in silence before the tabernacle or doing something like singing hymns.

The Same Way As Non-Catholics Except Catholics have The Greastest Prayer...The Mass

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Catholic AnswerThe Church teaches that one should pray at all times, that one's life should be a prayer, and that everything we do should be a prayer.

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Catholics are to head the admonition of St. Paul to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The highest form of prayer is that of Jesus Christ, Himself, when He offers Himself to the Father in The Most Holy Eucharist (the Mass). Since earliest times, Christians have gathered for prayer at times throughout the day, starting at the Jerusalem Temple. This prayer throughout the day has evolved into the Breviary, or Divine Office, which today consists of the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Mid-morning prayer, Mid-day prayer, Mid-afternoon prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer. The Breviary is required of religious and priests, and many laypeople pray it as well. In addition there is the most holy Rosary, which, originally was based on the fact that the laypeople couldn't pray the 150 psalms that comprise the Divine Office. The Angelus is prayed at 6 am, noon, and 6 pm. The Divine Mercy is prayed at 3 pm. The De Profundus is prayed at 5 pm.

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Beginning prayer is called mediation or mental prayer. This has nothing, whatsoever, to do with Eastern meditation, but is a totally Christian practice. As one continues in mediation and living the Gospel generously, one might be granted contemplation by God. For a complete treatment of prayer, please get Fr. Dubay's book listed below.

When Catholics pray, they are speaking to God. Prayer is a "voluntary response to the awareness of God's presence" which may include adoration, gratitude, Thanksgiving, expiation, petition, or simply love. (from Modern Catholic Dictionary), we are told by St. Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:17) to "pray constantly". Catholics are living when they pray, their whole life should become one continuous prayer to God

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

2744 Prayer is a vital necessity. Proof from the contrary is not less convincing: is we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin. (Cf. Gal5:16-25) How can the Holy Spirit be our life if our heart is far from him?

Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy . . . For it is impossible, utterly impossible, for the man who prays eagerly and invokes God ceaselessly ever to sin. (St. John Chrysostom, De Anna 4, 5: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca {Paris, 1857-1866} 54, 666)

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Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned. (St. Alphonsus Liguori, Del gran mezzo della preghiera.

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2558 "Great is the mystery of the faith!" ... This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer.

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What is prayer?For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. (St. Therese of Lisieux, Manuscrits autobiographiques, C 25r.)

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Prayer as God's gift

2559 "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the or the requesting of good things from God." (St. John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca {Paris, 1857-1866}94, 1089C.) But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Ps 130:1) He who humbles himself will be exalted; (Cf. Lk 18:9-14) humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," (Rom 8:26) are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." (St. Augustine, Sermo 56, 6, 9: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 38, 381)

2566 Man is in search of God. In the act of creation, God calls every being from nothingness into existence. "Crowed with glory and honor," man is, after the angels, capable of acknowledging "how majestic is the name of the Lord in all the earth." (Ps 8:5; 8:1) Even after losing through his sin his likeness to God, man remains an image of his Creator, and retains the desire for the one who calls him into existence. Al religions bear witness to men's essential search for God. (Cf. Acts 17:27)

2567 God calls man first Man may forget his Creator or hide far from his face; he may run after idols or accuse the deity of having abandoned him; yet the living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter know as prayer. In prayer, the faithful God's initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response. As God gradually reveals himself and reveals man to himself, prayer appears as a reciprocal call, a covenant drama. Through words and actions, this drama engages the heart. It unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation.

Answer 2

Catholics pray like other Christians do. However, they usually make the sign of the cross before and after a prayer. They also have many forms of pray that can be prayed: Mass, the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, etc.