Prayer Life:

Fr. John Bartunek and Dan Burke talk about the root causes of aridity or dryness in our prayer lives and what we can do about them:

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Father John Bartunek outlines the two basic causes of dryness in prayer: my fault or God’s fault! He further discusses why each one of these may be the cause and how we need to be honest with ourselves and examine our conscience. A spiritual director can help with this. How can it be God’s fault when consolation is lacking? Is God’s grace withdrawn as well? Is God’s presence withdrawn? Why does God permit dryness or aridity? What remedy is there for these things? They also discuss an analogy to what it feels like to have dryness in prayer, and also issues of attachment and detachment.

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Art: Bryce Canyon, Lois Sapio, May 19, 2015, all rights reserved, used with permission. Feature picture art: Still of Father John Bartunek and Dan Burke filming this segment on dryness or aridity in one’s prayer life, 2012, used with permission.

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Dan Burke

Dan Burke is the past President and C.O.O. of EWTN's worldwide news network. He is presently the founder and President of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, which offers graduate and personal enrichment studies in spiritual theology to priests, deacons, religious, and laity in 90 countries and prepares men for seminary in over 40 dioceses. Dan is the author and editor of numerous books on authentic Catholic spirituality and hosts the Divine Intimacy Radio show with his wife, Stephanie, which is broadcast weekly on EWTN Radio. Past episodes can be found, along with thousands of articles on the interior life, at SpiritualDirection.com. In his deep commitment to the advancement of faithful Catholic spirituality, he is also the founder of Apostoli Viae, a world-wide, private association of the faithful dedicated to living and advancing the authentic spiritual patrimony of the Church. Most importantly, Dan is a blessed husband, father of four, grandfather of one—and grateful to be Catholic.