“The Power of Prayer”
Session Overview for Catechists
Catechist Summary * Slides
- Track A: Monday 2/10/2025, 6:45-8 p.m. in Mission Hall at the Parish Center
- Track B: Wednesday 2/12/2025 and Thursday 2/13/2025 in Religion class
Gathering Icebreaker (5 min.)
Review responses to p. 88 in textbook.
Which option for the Opening Prayer would you choose? What makes that one more meaningful to you?
Vote on Readings for Confirmation Mass (20 min.)
Read aloud at your table the Readings A, B, C (First Reading) and D, E, F (Second Reading) and use the ballot to vote. Valid votes must include a reason for choosing the Reading which is not related to its length.
Opening Prayer from Liturgy of the Hours (5 min.)
The Liturgy of the Hours is used by many Catholics as a way to pray regularly and read from the Bible through the course of the day — to make all parts of each day holy. It is the second most important form of prayer for Catholics (Mass is first). It is most associated with monastic life, where groups of monks or nuns living in monasteries will stop whatever they are doing to pray together at specific times during the day, beginning with praise in the morning, a pause for prayer at mid-day, giving thanks in the evening, and reflecting back on the day at night before sleep.
Track A will pray a responsory from Evening Prayer, because Track A is meeting in the evening:
+ In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Accept my prayer, O Lord, which rises up to you. Accept my prayer, O Lord, which rises up to you.
Like burning incense in your sight which rises up to you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Accept my prayer, O Lord, which rises up to you.
Almighty Father, you have given us the strength to work throughout this day.
Receive our evening sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for your countless gifts.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
+ In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Track B can pray from the Midday Reponsories, because Track B is meeting at different times during the school day:
+ In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
God is the Savior of those who revere him, that his glory may dwell here on earth.
Holy Father, keep us true to yourself, that we may be perfectly one.
Lord our God, gather us from the nations of the world, that we may glorify your holy name.
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks.
All-powerful and ever-living God, you poured out the Holy Spirit as a constant Friend and Guide for your apostles.
Send that same Spirit of love to us to make us faithful witnesses to you in the sight of all mankind.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It’s a little complicated to learn the pattern of the Liturgy of the Hours and follow what to do unless you have a good book or app to guide you, and much of it is intended for praying in a group, but the general idea is to pray constantly!
Forming a Habit of Prayer: Lessons from the Saints (15 min.)
The lives of the saints give us powerful examples of what prayer is and how to do it. Let’s look at a few saints to see what they can teach us about prayer. And if you think of any questions about prayer as we go along, please write them down on a slip of scrap paper, to be submitted to our catechist roundtable later in this session!
Saint Francis de Sales is now known for his gentle ways and great patience with his family and the people he shepherded as a priest, but he had to overcome his own anger, impatience and anxiety in prayer. He recommended a three-stage form of prayer:
- Ask: Invite God into every moment to be with you
- Offer: Give God all our works, joys, and sorrows
- Accept: Take what comes from your efforts, done with God’s help
Saint Therese of Lisieux had poor health for much of her life, and her body was not up to performing the missionary work she so desired to undertake, bringing others in foreign lands to know Jesus. So she found other ways to live in holiness. Her book “The Story of a Soul” was a bestseller, and it laid out her “Little Way” of making everything she did into a form of prayer.
Catholic Central Video – Prayer
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBZ6DsRwdV8)
If prayer is about communicating with God, then recall that communication involves listening! If we kept talking and talking to a friend and never gave them a chance to say anything back, that would surely be poor communication!
Saint John of the Cross reminds us that God’s first language is silence, that it is in being still and silent that we can best hear God speaking back to us in the quiet of our hearts. But we often need to practice to get comfortable with quiet.
Brainstorming (<5 min).
Timed Brainstorming (2 minutes): How can I incorporate prayer in my daily life?
Then tables/groups report back to the whole class with their best idea(s).
Catechist Roundtable/Witness: Prayer “Best Practices” (5-10 min.)
Students submit on small slips of paper their questions about prayer, which catechists/teachers may answer if appropriate. It’s also an opportunity for the teacher or table leader catechists to share and witness about their own prayer experiences and practices, especially in the absence of any student questions.
Sample questions:
- What does “Amen” mean and why do we say it?
- What do I do if my prayer feels like a performance?
- Why do some people use the Sign of the Cross to pray while others don’t?
- What is a sacramental?
- How does prayer work?
- How do I hear the voice of God?
TikTok video by Fr. Casey Cole, OFM: Improve your prayer life in four easy steps
@caseyofm Improve your prayer life and all relationships and four easy steps. #catholic #prayer #priest
(Source: https://www.tiktok.com/@caseyofm/video/7062365410645052718)
Father Casey Cole OFM also has a YouTube channel, Breaking in the Habit, which has many of his TikTok videos posted as YouTube Shorts, as well as longer videos. However, this brief video on prayer does not seem to be on his YouTube account, only on TikTok.
Breakout Activity at Tables: Your Prayer Style (25 min.)
Read directions for prayer type inventory packet carefully!
- Take inventory (p. A)
- Read descriptions of spiritual path (p. B) & Styles of Prayer grids (pp. C-D), keeping in mind your score in each category.
- Discuss or reflect individually on your personal result and prayer suggestions.
(There is also a further reading packet for all prayer types which might be made available, but it’s a little heady and maybe a bit too much.)
Much more straightforward is a flow chart (or decision tree) with counsel for when you are frustrated in prayer:
A Prayerful Confirmation Mass (5 min.)
Review the Invitation to Prayer and Laying on of Hands Prayer to call down the Holy Spirit in the Confirmation Mass (using p. 6 of a a previous year’s program booklet or p. 89 of the Confirmed in the Spirit textbook). Consider ways to call yourself back to prayer if you find your mind or hands becoming less prayerful during the Confirmation Mass.
Challenge Video (5 min.)
Amena Brown, The Place of Prayer – spoken word reflection on prayer
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7ApUAAMZjQ)
Reminders and Closing Prayer (10 min.)
Homework
- journal pages 18, 38 & 48 (all involve writing different styles of prayers)
Reminders
- please sign up online for your Confirmation interview with a parish leader, if not already signed up!
- SignUpGenius launched last Friday, February 7
- interviews begin this week on Wednesday, February 12 and go through Saturday, March 1
- those who did not submit Letters to the Pastor should do so, because it will be useful for your interviewer to read ahead of time!
- No class next week due to Presidents Day Holiday on Monday, February 17
- next class for all Candidates (both Tracks A & B) is 6:45-8:30 p.m. Monday, February 24 with guests
- note upcoming evening retreat on Friday, February 28 at our St. Matthias site
- 4:30 p.m. drop-off at St. Matthias Gym
- early dinner to be provided on arrival (pizza, fruit, cookies, soft drinks or water)
- includes Reconciliation service with individual confessions
- 8:30 p.m. pick-up at St. Matthias Church
Closing Prayer – Ignatian Examen
Daily Examen prayer cards in English and Spanish (may be replaced with a slightly different version for class).
General pattern of the Examen:
- Remember you are in the quiet presence of God
- Respond – Give thanks
- Review – Review the day
- Repent – Talk with God
- Resolve – Look forward to the day to come
There are also variations like the Five Finger Examen that is easier to remember because it uses the structure of your hand as a memory aid. If you go to a Jesuit high school, you will pray some form of the Examen every day over the PA!