Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2704 Because it is external and so thoroughly human, vocal prayer is the form of prayer most readily accessible to groups. Even interior prayer, however, cannot neglect vocal prayer. Prayer is internalized to the extent that we become aware of him “to whom we speak;”4 Thus vocal prayer becomes … Read more
by Jimmy Akin Thursday, December 02, 2010 Right now in his weekly catecheses, Pope Benedict is giving a series of meditations on female saints from the Middle Ages. Many of them are mystics, and in the first meditation–on St. Hildegard of Bingen–he offers his thoughts on some of the marks of a genuine mystic. He … Read more
Saying Your Prayers Versus Praying Your Prayers In the spiritual life, the language we use intimately reflects our hearts. As an example, let’s look at prayer. Do we “say our prayers?” Or do we pray in an intimate relationship with God? The former is like saying, “I said words to my wife.” The latter … Read more
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