MyCatholicSource.com - 'Quick Help' Page - Prayer: Why, How, When, For Who, Benefits Of...?

Answer / Resources:

[click link(s) below, as applicable]

As stated in the Baltimore Catechism...

"Prayer is the lifting up of our minds and hearts to God to adore Him, to thank Him for His benefits, to ask His forgiveness, and to beg of Him all the graces we need, whether for soul or body."

Yes, prayer is necessary to salvation. As stated in the Baltimore Catechism...

"Prayer is necessary to salvation, and without it no one having the use of reason can be saved."

Note that neglect of prayer is considered a violation of the Second Commandment ("Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain") because...

"...as they honor God, who in their affliction implore His help, so they, who do not invoke His aid, deny Him due honor; and these David rebukes when he says: They have not called upon the Lord, they trembled for fear when there was no fear (Ps. xiii. 5; lii. 6.)" (Catechism of the Council of Trent)

As stated in the Catechism of Pope St. Pius X...

"Although God knows all that is necessary for us, He nevertheless wills that we should pray to Him so as to acknowledge Him as the Giver of every good gift, to attest our humble submission to Him, and to merit His favors for ourselves."

According to the Baltimore Catechism...

Q. How should we pray?

A. We should pray; 1st With attention, 2nd, With a sense of our own helplessness and dependence upon God, 3rd, With a great desire for the graces we beg of God, 4th, With trust in God's goodness, 5th, With perseverance.

According to the Catechism of St. John Neumann...

Q. How must we pray?

A. We must pray with devotion, with humility, with perseverance, and with confidence in the merits of Jesus Christ.

Keep in mind that...

"It is better to say one Pater Noster (Our Father) fervently and devoutly than a thousand with no devotion and full of distraction." (St. Edmund)

Note also that...

"The first and best disposition to render our prayers efficacious is to be in the state of grace; or if we are not in that state, to desire to put ourselves in it." (Catechism of Pope St. Pius X)

Note: Also see here for 'What Should We Do That We May Pray Well?' ('Quick Help' Page).

We are told to pray without ceasing in Holy Scripture (see 1 Thes. 5:17). This may be done by frequent invocations of the holy name of Jesus (or other aspirations), by offering all we do as prayer, by recitation of the Holy Rosary, etc.

Also note that there are some times "in particular" that we should pray...

"We should pray particularly on Sundays and holydays, every morning and night [and before and after meals], in all dangers, temptations, and afflictions." (Baltimore Catechism)

According to the Catechism of St. John Neumann...

Q. For whom should we pray?

A. For ourselves, for our parents and benefactors, for the spiritual and temporal authorities, for our friends and enemies, for the living, and for the souls in purgatory.

Note: Also see here for 'What Should We Pray For?' ('Quick Help' Page).

Yes, prayer is very beneficial to us in many ways. According to Dom Gueranger, prayer is man's "richest boon"...

"Prayer is man's richest boon. It is his light, his nourishment, and his very life, for it brings him into communication with God, who is light, nourishment, and life." (Dom Gueranger)

Note: For more 'benefits of prayer' Reflections, try here.

Reminder: We make no guarantee whatsoever regarding any item herein. Items herein may be the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect our views. All applicable items may be subject to change at any time without notice. Utilize any link(s) appearing on this page at your own risk. For more terms information, see "Important Notice" below.