Learning About the Catholic Approach to Prayer

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:37:34 +0000

I listened to a couple episodes of the Catholic Answers Live podcast on the topic of prayer and a few things stood out to me.

I should preface these notes by saying I feel I have struggled with prayer most of my life, especially as I have gotten older. Latter-day Saints believe in praying “from the heart,” as in no written or rote prayers except in the case of prayers said when ordinances are performed.

I know the form of prayer as taught in the LDS church, and I know what to say vocally in settings like church meetings when public prayer is expected.

But personal prayer has been hard for me. Sometimes I am focused and the prayer is heartfelt. Most of the time my thoughts wander and I feel like I am mostly asking for what I want rather than truly praying to God.

LDS tend to avoid saying rote prayers, especially repetitive prayers like the Rosary, which they would say is “vain repetition.” But w hen I came to see written prayers as merely hymns without music, I no longer had problems with them.

And I have come to understand that repetition in prayer (the few times I have attempted saying a Rosary or when I say the Our Father at times during my day) can actually help draw my thoughts heavenward and keep my mind from wandering if I am intentional about it.

It is not repetition, but vain repetition that is warned against in Matthew 6:7. Blabbing gibberish or repeating words for the sake of repetition without any thought or intention behind them is not good. Jesus is trying to teach us there that the sheer volume of words does not ensure that God hears us.

Repeating prayers with purpose of heart and “real intent,” as Latter-day Saints would say, has precedence in the Bible.

In the New Testament, it is recorded that Jesus prayed the same words multiple times in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Mark 14:39)

Many Psalms contain repetitive phrases.

Revelation 4:8 speaks of four “beasts” (angels) and that “they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Probably one of the ultimate examples of how repetitive prayer, when done properly, is not in vain.

What is appealing to me about Catholic prayer life is beautiful written prayers that demand my attention and reverence for God – especially if I am reading them aloud.

So here are some thoughts on prayer from one perspective on the Catholic Answers Live podcast:

Don't approach prayer as transactional.

Don't try to “fill” the prayer with activity.

Be more attentive to God – don't obsess over the prayer itself.

There are three types of prayer:

Vocal – this is where we start. The “Our Father” is prime example. Christ prayed vocally throughout his ministry, in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the cross, etc.
Meditative – using the mind to focus intently on godly things
Contemplative – the height of prayer. Beyond speaking to or focusing on God, but spending time with Him.

When doing vocal or meditative prayer, if you find yourself invited into contemplative prayer, don't worry about “finishing” the vocal or meditative prayer – contemplative prayer is the goal.

All three types of prayer are important.

We cannot pray at all times if we do not pray at specific times.

Prayer is about giving God all of ourselves.

How we pray and how we live are closely related.

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prayer — Dallineation

Learning About the Catholic Approach to Prayer

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