Making Prayer a Priority (February)

Whether we minister to children or adults, we are often so focused on achieving the academic goals of our sessions that prayer becomes little more than an after-thought. Yet, the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “prayer and the Christian life are inseparable” (CCC 2745). When we make prayer a priority, we invite the Holy Spirit to lead our sessions so that all we accomplish is done in the Lord’s name. Here are three ways you can incorporate prayer into your sessions.

1. Traditional Prayers are official prayers of the Church that have been handed down to us throughout history and include prayers like the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Act of Sorrow, and other memorized prayers. Young children need to learn these prayers so that they have a rich treasury to draw from to express their prayer needs. Furthermore, being able to recite common prayers together deepens our sense of unity, and connects us with the universal Church. Begin or end your classes with a traditional prayer and integrate different memorized prayers into your sessions over the course of the year.
2. Spontaneous Prayers allow participants to use their own words to express their thoughts. Introduce spontaneous prayer to children in a structured format. For example, invite them to name one thing for which they are thankful to God, or to name someone in need of God’s care. After reading aloud a passage from Scripture or calling the group to prayer in your own words, invite participants to quietly speak to God from their hearts.
3. Ritual Prayers involve words, movement, symbols, gestures, and/or objects. This kind of prayer is a powerful way of engaging a person in prayer. You can incorporate Holy Water to recall Baptism. You may have the participants venerate the Cross by bowing before it or touching it reverently with their hand. Work with the group to choose appropriate and comfortable gestures to accompany formal prayers.

Trying new ways of praying will enrich your sessions with the individuals you serve. The habit of prayer can help your participants become more aware of God’s presence in their lives.