Catholic Prayer: Expressions and Types

The Form of Prayer: Vocal Prayer, Meditation Prayer, and Contemplative Prayer

The Types of Prayer

Adoration: Exalting the greatness of the Creator
Petition: Asking for forgiveness and help
Intercession: A petition on behalf of another
Thanksgiving: Every event can become an offering of Thanksgiving
Praise: God is God

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A Family Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of our family. Enlighten our hearts and minds that we may live more fully this vocation to love. In our daily life and work, may we reflect the self giving love which you O Father, eternally with your Son and Holy Spirit. Let your love be evident in the peace that reigns in our home and in the faith we profess and live. May our family always be a place of generosity, understanding, forgiveness, and joy. Kindly, give us the wisdom and encourage to be witnesses to your eternal design for the family; and grant that the Holy Family of Nazareth may always guide our path to holiness as a family. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Amen

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The Ten Commandments

1. I am the Lord thy God. Thou shall not have strange gods before Me.

2. Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.

4. Honor thy father and mother.

5. Thou shall not kill.

6. Thou shall not commit adultery.

7. Thou shall not steal.

8. Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

9. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife.

10. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods.

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The Four Marks of the Church

Throughout the centuries, there has always been a need to clearly identify the Church that Christ founded. Four marks (characteristics or qualities) identify the Catholic Church as the one, true Church, and they are familiar to us. We recite them in the Creed at Mass every week when we say that the Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic:

One: The Church is united as a single body of believers under one pope, and all share the same faith in teaching and practice.

Holy: The Church is holy because it was founded by Jesus Christ and teaches holy doctrine. It is also holy in its sacraments and saints.

Catholic: The Church is universal (the Greek word is “catholic”) because it embraces all peoples and cultures throughout time and teaches the fullness of the truth.

Apostolic: The Church is apostolic because it was founded on the 12 Apostles. This same apostolic authority has been handed down from bishop to bishop throughout the ages.

How blessed we are that Christ has given us the Four Marks to be able to recognize His Church when we see it! And by the way, of all the churches on earth, only the Roman Catholic Church has all four marks.

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Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Fear of the Lord: With this gift, the Christian becomes keenly aware of anything that may hurt his/her relationship with God. There is a holy “fear” of hurting this relationship, and grace is given to avoid these things at all cost.
Wisdom: With this gift, the Christian is given a special grace to “ponder divine realities” in his/her speculative reason. We are able to see the big picture and know how best to be an instrument of peace and harmony in our world.
Understanding: This is the ability to have a supernatural assurance of the matters of faith. Life makes sense. We can make sense of the deeper parts of revelation, make sense of suffering and understand those things that tempt us to doubt. With this gift, we come to see how everything in life can work for good in accordance with God’s plan.
Knowledge: With this gift, the Christian knows, more in the practical intellect, what God’s will is in this or that situation. We know how to live, how to discern God’s will and what decision to make in our daily lives. It also enables us to learn from our past mistakes.
Counsel: With this gift, the Christian sees him/herself as a link in a chain which makes up the entire Church. God uses each one of us to help and support one another on our journeys. We know what to say and how to act so as to do our part to build up one another.
Fortitude: Simply put, it is a firmness of mind and spirit to do good and avoid evil. It’s a sort of Christian courage. The Gospel will call all of us to a radical life of love. Fortitude gives us the strength we need to follow through.
Piety: This gift enables us to first reverence and love God, but also to see the dignity of one another and reverence each other as children of God

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