The Tradition of Catholic Prayer

by The Monks of Saint Meinrad Monastery, Christian Raab (Editor), Harry Hagan (Editor)

Catholics have a rich and ancient prayer tradition that informs contemporary practice. People gather every morning for private devotions or participate communally in the Liturgy of the Hours. People continue to go on pilgrimages and have shrines in their homes. Over time, monastics, saints, and scholars developed theologies and prayer practices that are distinctive to the Catholic imagination. By exploring the historical contexts from which these theologies and practices emerged, we can invigorate our own prayer lives and better understand our faith. In this book the monks of St. Meinrad recount the tradition of Catholic prayer. In the early chapters they explore prayer chronologically, from Old Testament psalms, New Testament models, and early church theologies, through the period of the Counter-Reformation. The central chapters look at prayer in the communal contexts of the Mass, the Liturgical Year, and the Liturgy of the Hours. Final chapters shed more light on particular topics that deepen our understanding of the Catholic imagination and the place of prayer in the lives of the faithful. Readers at any level will come away from this book with a renewed sense of prayer as a key component of Catholic formation and growth.

318 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2007

Reviews

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chapters were mostly very helpful, but varied in applicability. A good reference book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

p.91
Protestant reformations had a number of common characteristics. First, they promoted the spirituality of the individual. According to Protestant thought, the individual was perfectly capable of cultivating and maintaining a relationship with God on his or her own. Second, the Church existed to promote the spiritual development of the person, not as a necessary conduit of God’s grace, as Catholics held. Third, this spiritual development came through reading, by living an upright and sober life, and through intense private prayer.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very thoughtful and well-written book on Catholic prayer. I can tell that the monks who wrote it really considered their material. They write interesting and easy-to-read essays on the history and attributes of praying.

Unfortunately for me, I took this book out for a very specific research purpose, which it didn't fulfill. That's my own fault. This still gave me a lot of insight into the religion.