Michel de Verteuil CSSp explains in a practical way the prayer method of Lectio Divina, a manner of contemplating scripture and integrating it with all the goings-on of one’s life.
Declan and Sarah O’Brien from Prosperous in Co. Kildare share a novel and simple way of preparing for Christmas with their children by building an atmosphere of love in the home.
Garry Wills believes that the Rosary, all twenty mysteries, is a form of devotion ideally suited to the modern world, when so many are seeking a form of contemplation, spiritual renewal and calm. It contains reflective meditations and lavish illustrations by Tintoretto
In an important article about handing on the faith in contemporary Ireland, Fr Paul Andrews SJ says, “What we hand on to our children is not so much doctrine or practices, as the capacity to love”.
Eustás Ó Héidáin OP describes the Blessing of the Bay ceremony held each year in the Claddagh, Galway. He sees it as a colourful expression of ancient, local faith.
Dermot Mansfield SJ takes his helping stint at the Church of Our Lady of Grace on Chiswick High Street, London as his jumping off place for thoughts on Mary and prayer.
Sacred Space is a website for prayer begun in 1999 by two Jesuits, Alan McGuckian and Peter Scally. It now averages 20,000 visitors a day. Paul Andrews SJ tells its story.
‘Enter into your heart and you will pray.’ This is the formula Dermot Mansfield SJ gives us to tune into our own hearts where, he says, the Holy Spirit is already praying ‘with sighs too deep for words’.
“Come and have breakfast” are homely words that engage us easily. Brendan Clifford OP uses them to set the scene for this “lectio divina”.
There are probably as many different ways of praying as there are people. Dermot Mansfield SJ adopts the wise Benedictine saying “Pray as you can, not as you can’t” and goes on to suggest a few ways people may find helpful.
Brian writes: Sometimes in my prayers I feel as if I have nothing to say to God. I sit in stony silence for a while, before giving up, or get distracted by what’s going on around me. It’s not that I’m not grateful or sorrowful, but sometimes I run out [...]
In this step-by-step exercise book Anthony de Mello SJ uses gentle physical exercises, scriptural contemplation and humorous symbolic stories to teach us how we can experience true happiness.
Dermot Mansfield SJ explores some of the ways our heart can be really awakened so that we can enter into it in prayer: using traditional prayers I grew up with, quietening myself down so I can hear the deeper voice, spontaneously responding to situations that arise in my life, the [...]
Rosemarie and Peter Atkin’s short book ‘Prayer-Bytes’ offers much needed time-out for young people, with prayers and reflections that are simple in style and relevant to the concerns faced by today’s youth.
We pray out of need, says Dermot Mansfield SJ; for our own needs, for those we know, for situations we know that need healing. TS Eliot said the world is like a huge hospital. We are needy people, requiring God’s blessing and healing always.
Apart from the prayers for the different times of the year, this book prepared by the brothers of Taizé community also gives practical instructions on how the elements, such as prayer around the cross, the icons and the meditative chants, contribute to our personal intimacy with God.
Dermot Mansfield SJ advocates “listening to the voice of God” twice every day so that we can really be in touch with his presence within and around me. The five stages of an “examen” of our consciousness can help to ensure this.
If God wants to speak to us – to you or me – how do you think He goes about it? From his experience John Callanan SJ gives an insight as to how this works.
In this book, Brother John of Taizé explores the biblical background of the “Our Father” and shows how it can still be a prayer to express our spiritual desires today.
Dermot Mansfield SJ takes this phrase from the “Breastplate of St Patrick” to highlight a way of getting very close to Jesus and God’s everlasting love.
We often wonder how we ought to pray. Paul Andrews SJ points to some not too difficult ways we could start.
Pat Collins CM looks at what major psychologists have had to say about the contribution of prayerful religious experience to people’s health and well-being.
I learned from a young Chinese woman Jing Ying, writes Desmond O’Donnell OMI, that prayer is more about receiving than giving. I learned that prayer is privilege, not obligation.
This little booklet by Fr Tom Ryan offers support to people who suffer from problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, over-spending, over-eating, over-working. Through a mixture of scripture passages,, reflections and prayers it encourages and gives spiritual in times of suffering and stress.
Anne Power recounts her experience of deepening in prayer and meditation and discovering that this was bringing her back, after many years away, to the Catholic Church of her youth.
Andrew Nugent OSB explores the Rule of St Benedict for what it might teach us about personal prayer.
