Catholic beliefs on the power of prayer
Encyclopedia
Prayer has been used as a method, and a tool for strengthening the Church, and its individual members. Catholic tradition includes a large number of stories about the "power of prayer".
Cardinal John Henry Newman stated that: "If there is anything which distinguishes religion at all, which is meant by the very word, it is the power of prayer."
Belief in Prayer
As seen in the GospelGospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
accounts, Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
often prayed. In the Gospel of John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
, after "looking towards heaven", in John 17:20
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
Jesus prayed to The Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
for his Apostles and followers:"And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me.." Roman Catholicism holds that prayer is necessary for salvation.
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
makes several references to the extraordinary power of prayer. For instance, in Matthew 17:20 Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
said to his Apostles:
- "Jesus said to them: ...For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible to you." .
The basic forms of prayer are: blessing, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise..
Almost 2,000 years later Catholic figures continue to reinforce the belief in prayer and emphasize its importance. In his book "An Invitation to Prayer" Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
emphasized prayer as the cornerstone of Catholic life. Similarly, in her book "Everything Starts from Prayer" Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
of Calcutta stressed the importance of prayer in every aspect of life to Catholics, from multiple perspectives
.
From the viewpoint of the psychology of prayer, in their book Ann and Barry Ulanov, suggest that belief in prayer has deep roots in the human psyche
Psyche (psychology)
The word psyche has a long history of use in psychology and philosophy, dating back to ancient times, and has been one of the fundamental concepts for understanding human nature from a scientific point of view. The English word soul is sometimes used synonymously, especially in older...
and although it may be suppressed by rational and scientific debate, it often resurfaces at times of distress for it is a primary language for communicating with the supernatural world .
Despite the promises associated with the power of prayer, the direct measurement of its effect is often discouraged in the Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him...
, e.g. Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
6:16 states: "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God".
The Holy Spirit
Christian teachings have for long held that prayer involves the action of the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, e.g. referring to Romans 8:26, "The [Holy] Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words." In Catholic belief, the Holy Spirit, as the "master of prayer', both inspires and guides prayer..
The Catholic encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
advises that prior to prayer, an act of adoration to God should be performed and a petition made for the prayer to be directed by the Holy Spirit.
Promise of prayer
The Catechism of the Catholic ChurchCatechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
specifically includes reference to the power of prayer as in the Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
11:24 quoting:"Whatever you ask in prayer believe that you will receive it, and you will." .
Section 2744 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church further states: Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus
From 1673 to 1675 Saint Marguerite Marie AlacoqueMarguerite Marie Alacoque
Marguerite Marie Alacoque or Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French Roman Catholic nun and mystic, who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in its modern form.-Early life:...
reported a series of visions of Christ
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
speaking to her which led to her founding the Devotion of the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
of Jesus. Initially, her life, actions and writings became the subject of extreme scrutiny by the Catholic Church, but she was eventually declared a saint in 1920 and the Feast of the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
is now officially celebrated 19 days after Pentecost. As part of her visions of Jesus and Mary
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
she stated that Jesus gave her twelve promises directed towards those who pray and practice the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which promises range from receiving all the graces necessary for their state of life to the grace of final repentance provided they receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months.
Holy Face of Jesus
This Catholic devotion was approved by Pope Leo XIIIPope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1885. According to Sister Marie of St Peter
Marie of St Peter
Sister Marie of St Peter was a Carmelite nun who lived in Tours, France. She is best known for starting the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus which is now one of the approved Catholic devotions and for the Golden Arrow Prayer....
, a Carmelite nun who lived in Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in 1844 she had a vision in which Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
told her:"Those who will contemplate the wounds on My Face here on earth, shall contemplate it radiant in heaven."
According to Sister Marie of St Peter, in her visions Jesus told her that He desired devotion to His Holy Face in reparation for sacrilege and blasphemy. She wrote The Golden Arrow Holy Face Devotion (Prayer)
The Golden Arrow Holy Face Devotion (Prayer)
The Golden Arrow Holy Face Devotion is a prayer in the Roman Catholic Church which is believed to have been dictated by Jesus to Sr. Marie of St Peter and of the Holy Family, a Carmelite nun of Tours, in 1843. It is an Act of Praise and Reparation for Blasphemy...
which she said was dictated to her by Jesus. She quoted Jesus as saying in her visions:"Oh if you only knew what great merit you acquire by saying even once, Admirable is the Name of God, in a spirit of reparation for blasphemy."
The first Holy Face Medal was offered to Pope Pius XII who accepted it and approved of the devotion.
Rosary
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
said:"The rosary should be considered as one of the best and most efficacious prayers".
The rosary has also been mentioned as a source of inspiration by a number Roman Catholic figures. For instance, in his encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
discusses the inspiration of the rosary and how his motto "Totus Tuus" was inspired by the writings of Saint Louis de Montfort
Louis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
.
A number of rosary-making clubs exist around the world for the purpose of making and distributing rosaries to missions, hospitals, prisons, etc. free of charge. The largest such non-profit organization in the United States is Our Lady's Rosary Makers
Our Lady's Rosary Makers
Our Lady's Rosary Makers is a non-profit apostolate in Louisville, Kentucky, dedicated to spreading devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary. Its 17,000 members, in the U.S. and other countries, make and distribute roughly 7 million cord and chain rosaries annually for missions around the...
whose 17,000 members annually distribute roughly 7 million free rosaries.
Power of the Rosary
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
for victory at the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
, in which the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
faced a much larger army. Pius V attributed the decisive victory at Lepanto (in which the entire Muslim fleet was destroyed) to the Rosaries which were prayed. Trophies from the battle are now enshrined in various churches which attribute the victory to the massive prayers. The feast on October 7 associated with the Battle of Lepanto was initially called the feast of "Our Lady of Victory" but was later renamed the feast of "Our Lady of the Rosary".
But Lepanto was not the only battle in which victory was attributed to the power of the Rosary. In 1683 King John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
of Poland achieved a crucial victory in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in the battle against the Muslims and the victory was attributed to the power of the Rosary. Indeed, from this point onwards, the Rosary achieved an even more important place among the prayers of the Catholic Church: it was recommended by numerous saints and Catholics were encouraged to pray it by almost every pope since then.
The belief in the power of the Rosary has continued into the 20th century, e.g. in his book The Power of the Rosary
The Power of the Rosary
The Power of the Rosary is a book on Catholic themes by Reverend Albert J. M. Shamon.The book revolves around the topic of Catholic beliefs on the power of prayer via the rosary. It builds on the fifteen rosary promises and extends the discussion to the present day...
Rev. Albert Shamon discussed the power of rosary prayers and the promises attributed to the Rosary in various reported visions such as Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
and Međugorje.
Some Roman Catholic sources suggest that through Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
and Blessed
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen specific promises
Fifteen rosary promises
A Roman Catholic legend states that through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen specific promises to Christians who pray the rosary. The fifteen stated promises range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven...
to Christians who pray the rosary, although other sources argue that the rosary and these promises have their roots in the preaching of Alan de Rupe between 1470–1475 and not Saint Dominic. And there are sources which try to seek a middle ground to these two views.
The fifteen rosary promises
Fifteen rosary promises
A Roman Catholic legend states that through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen specific promises to Christians who pray the rosary. The fifteen stated promises range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven...
range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven .
The promises attributed to the rosary continue to appear and be extended in the reported visions of Jesus and Mary
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
. For instance, the Carmelite nun, sister Lucia dos Santos stated that she was told in the Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
messages:
- "There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."
Centuries after the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto normally refers to the 1571 Holy League victory over the Ottoman fleet. There were also three earlier battles fought in the vicinity of Lepanto:*Battle of Naupactus in 429 BC, an Athenian victory during the Peleoponnesian War...
, the belief in the power of large scale Rosary prayers have continued among Catholics in the 20th century. The messages of Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
reported by Lucia Santos
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
stated that the Virgin Mary specifically asked believers to pray for the conversion of Russia. With a blessing from Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
millions of members of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fátima is a public international association of the Christian faithful that has as its general purpose "the promotion of the authentic teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and the strict adherence to the tenets of the Gospel; the personal sanctification of adherents...
were told to pray the Rosary for the fall of communism. Blue Army of Fatima members have stated that the collapse of the Soviet Union in the Revolutions of 1989
Revolutions of 1989
The Revolutions of 1989 were the revolutions which overthrew the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries.The events began in Poland in 1989, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and...
was due to the power of the Rosary prayers, while economists argue that socioeconomic and market forces were the causes. The Society of Saint Pius X has encouraged "Rosary Crusades", in which millions of Rosaries are prayed in a period of time for a specific intention set by the Superior General. There gave been three global Rosary Crusades so far:
- The first asked for the liberation of the Traditional Latin Mass, which was obtained via the motu proprio Summorum PontificumSummorum PontificumSummorum Pontificum is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued "motu proprio" . The document specified the rules, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962" , and for administering most of the sacraments in...
of Pope Benedict XVI - The second crusade, in which 1,703,000 Rosaries were prayed, asked for the lifting of the excommunications imposed upon the SSPX bishops in 1988. This was obtained in January 2009, when a decree from the Holy See left the 1988 excommunication decree without juridical effect.
- The third crusade had the intention of "the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart by the Supreme Shepherd and all the bishops of the Catholic world, and the propagation of the devotion to her Dolorous and Immaculate Heart" . Original plans were to pray 12 million Rosaries between April 15, 2009 and March 25, 2010, but at the end of crusade the total amount of Rosaries prayed was 19,149,525 . The intention of this crusade has not yet been obtained.
Other prayers and promises
Shoulder wound of Jesus
In the twelfth century Pope Eugenius III approved of the promises with regards to the Prayer to the shoulder wound of JesusPrayer to the shoulder wound of Jesus
This Roman Catholic prayer is variously attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux or to St. Gertrude or St. Mechtilde. In English:According to St. Bernard, he asked Jesus which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and the wound that inflicted the most pain on Him in Calvary and Jesus answered:In...
which according to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
was the wound that inflicted the most pain on Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in Calvary
Calvary
Calvary or Golgotha was the site, outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early first century walls, at which the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have occurred. Calvary and Golgotha are the English names for the site used in Western Christianity...
, caused by the rough wood of the Cross that Christ carried. The modern version of the prayer bears the imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
of Bishop Thomas D. Bevan, bishop of Springfield, Mass. 1892. .
Chaplet of Saint Michael
The Chaplet of Saint MichaelChaplet of Saint Michael
The Chaplet of St. Michael the Archangel is a chaplet resulting from a reported private revelation by the Archangel Michael to the Portuguese Carmelite nun Antónia d'Astónaco...
is due to a reported vision of Saint Michael the Archangel to the Portuguese Carmelite nun Antonia d'Astonac.
According to Antonia, Saint Michael asked her to honor him by nine salutations to the nine Choirs of Angels and promised that whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching Holy Communion, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs. In addition, for those who would recite the Chaplet daily, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life.
Prayer as a source of strength
Christians in general pray for strength and according to a 1997 survey, 79% of Americans who pray ask for strength to overcome their personal weaknesses. In the Catholic tradition personal prayer has been positioned as a source for personal strength, just as JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was strengthened during prayer in Gethsemane
Gethsemane
Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem most famous as the place where, according to Biblical texts, Jesus and his disciples are said to have prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion.- Etymology :...
in Luke 22:43
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
, i.e. in first person prayer. And it has been used in second person prayer to provide encouragement to others. Moreover, prayer performed corporately in the presence of fellow believers has been encouraged.
First person mental prayer
Mental prayerMental prayer
Mental prayer is a form of prayer recommended in the Catholic Church whereby one loves God through dialogue, meditating on God's words, and contemplation of his face. It is a time of silence focused on God...
is a form of prayer whereby one loves God through dialogue with him, meditating on his words, and contemplating him. It is a time of silence focused on God and one's relationship with him. It is distinguished from vocal prayers which use set prayers, although mental prayer can proceed by using vocal prayers in order to improve dialogue with God.
Mental prayer is recommended in the Catholic Church as a source of spiritual strength and according to Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Alphonsus Liguori
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori was an Italian Catholic bishop, spiritual writer, scholastic philosopher and theologian, and founder of the Redemptorists, an influential religious congregation...
"all saints have become saints by mental prayer".
Second person prayer
Prayer has been used to provide a sense of hope, perseverance and strength to others, knowing that they are being prayed for. In this case, the person performing the prayer notifies the beneficiary that the prayer is taking place. For instance, Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
said of the Venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
Gabriele Allegra
Gabriele Allegra
Gabriele Allegra was a Franciscan Friar and scripture scholar. He is best known for performing the first complete translation of the Catholic Bible into the Chinese language. His Studium Biblicum Translation is often considered the definitive Chinese Bible among Catholics...
’s attempt to translate the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
to Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
:
- “Tell this young priest that he has my special blessing and that I will pray for him every day. He will meet with many difficulties, but let him not lose courage. Nothing is impossible for him who prays, wills and studies. I shall not live to see this work completed, but I shall pray for him in heaven” .
It took Gabriele Allegra
Gabriele Allegra
Gabriele Allegra was a Franciscan Friar and scripture scholar. He is best known for performing the first complete translation of the Catholic Bible into the Chinese language. His Studium Biblicum Translation is often considered the definitive Chinese Bible among Catholics...
40 years to complete the translation of the Bible (given two wars and a revolution while he was in China), but he finished it a few years before he died in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Group prayer
The BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
suggests that group petitions and prayers are different from individual requests. In Matthew 18:19-20
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
Jesus said:
- “ Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Coming to Christ through prayer
The Catholic Church teaches that no man can perform great deeds within the mystical body of Christ except by prayer, and unless the forces exercised rely on the power of prayer.Beyond the physical
Second Epistle to the Corinthians
The second epistle of Paul the apostle to the Corinthians, often referred to as Second Corinthians , is the eighth book of the New Testament of the Bible...
it states that:
- "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to God, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels."
reflects the belief that prayer has more power than physical force. Similarly, 2,000 years later, according to WikiQuote
Wikiquote
Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. Based on an idea by Daniel Alston and implemented by Brion Vibber, the goal of the project is to produce collaboratively a vast reference of quotations from prominent people, books,...
, Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
said:
- "When I was crossing into GazaGazaGaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, I was asked at the checkpost whether I was carrying any weapons. I replied: Oh yes, my prayer books."
Yet Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
did not perceive prayer as a threatening force, but as a force for service, love and peace, for she wrote:
- "The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.
Similarly, as the starting words to the prayer of Saint Francis
Prayer of Saint Francis
The Prayer of Saint Francis is a Christian prayer. It is attributed to the 13th-century saint Francis of Assisi, although the prayer in its present form cannot be traced back further than 1912, when it was printed in France in French, in a small spiritual magazine called La Clochette as an...
suggest:
- "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon ..."
Catholic tradition positions prayer primarily as a force for seemingly non-physical effects such as peace, forgiveness and pardon.
Long term prayer
Monica of Hippo
Saint Monica is a Christian saint and the mother of Augustine of Hippo, who wrote extensively of her virtues and his life with her in his Confessions.-Life:...
is said to have prayed for the conversion of her son Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
for fourteen years and he eventually became an influential figure in Christian thought.
Another example of long term prayer often mentioned in the Roman Catholic tradition is that of the Venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
Leo Dupont
Leo Dupont
Venerable Leo Dupont , also known as "The Holy Man of Tours," or the "Apostle of the Holy Face", was a religious figure in the Roman Catholic faith who helped spread various Catholic devotions such as the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and nightly Eucharistic Adoration...
, also known as the Holy Man of Tours. Dupont was said to have prayed for 30 years for the public release of messages from sister Marie of St Peter
Marie of St Peter
Sister Marie of St Peter was a Carmelite nun who lived in Tours, France. She is best known for starting the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus which is now one of the approved Catholic devotions and for the Golden Arrow Prayer....
in 1844 regarding the Holy Face of Jesus
Holy Face of Jesus
The Holy Face of Jesus is a title for specific images which some Catholics believe to have been miraculously formed representations of the face of Jesus Christ...
. Shortly before Dupont's death in 1876, Charles-Théodore Colet
Charles-Théodore Colet
Charles-Théodore Colet was a French Roman Catholic Archbishop.He was born in Gérardmer in France and was ordained a priest in 1831. He was appointed Bishop of Luçon in 1861 and the Archbishop of Tours in 1874....
was appointed as the Archbishop of Tours and allowed the records to be made public. Dupont's followers attribute this to Dupont's 30 years of prayer, 10 years of which consisted of almost constant prayer before a candle burning before an image of the Holy Face of Jesus
Holy Face of Jesus
The Holy Face of Jesus is a title for specific images which some Catholics believe to have been miraculously formed representations of the face of Jesus Christ...
. In 1885 the Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus
Holy Face of Jesus
The Holy Face of Jesus is a title for specific images which some Catholics believe to have been miraculously formed representations of the face of Jesus Christ...
was approved by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
and in 1958 Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
declared the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus as Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday) for all Roman Catholics. Dupont eventually became known as the Apostle of the Holy Face.
Prayer as reparation
Roman Catholic tradition includes specific prayers and devotions as acts of reparationActs of reparation
In the Roman Catholic tradition, an Act of Reparation is a prayer or devotion with the intent to repair the "sins of others", e.g. for the repair of the sin of blasphemy, the sufferings of Jesus Christ or as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary...
. These prayers do not involve a petition for a living or deceased beneficiary, but aim to repair the sins of others, e.g. when the name of Jesus Christ is taken in vain, or for the repair of the sin of blasphemy. Some such prayers are provided in the Raccolta
Raccolta
The Raccolta is a book, published from 1807 to 1950, that listed Roman Catholic prayers and other acts of piety, such as novenas, for which specific indulgences were granted by Popes...
Catholic prayer book, approved by a Decree of 1854, and published by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in 1898.
Some prayers focus on reparations for insults and blasphemies against Jesus Christ and the Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Name of Jesus
In Christianity, the Holy Name of Jesus refers to the theological and devotional use of the name of Jesus. The reverence and affection with which Christians have regarded the Holy Name of Jesus goes back to the earliest days of Christianity....
. Other prayers are as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary
Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary
Roman Catholic tradition and Mariology include specific prayers and devotions as acts of reparation for insults and blasphemies against the Blessed Virgin Mary...
.
Specific Catholic organizations with the purpose of promoting prayer as reparation have been formed. For instance, the Archconfraternity of Reparation for blasphemy and the neglect of Sunday was founded by Msgr. Pierre Louis Parisis
Pierre Louis Parisis
Pierre Louis Parisis was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Bishopric of Langres from 1835 to 1851.In 1847 he formed the Archconfraternity of Reparation for blasphemy and the neglect of Sunday to promote Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ. He is also noted for his efforts within the Assembly of 1848...
in 1847 and the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face was founded in 1851 by the Venerable Leo Dupont
Leo Dupont
Venerable Leo Dupont , also known as "The Holy Man of Tours," or the "Apostle of the Holy Face", was a religious figure in the Roman Catholic faith who helped spread various Catholic devotions such as the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and nightly Eucharistic Adoration...
, the "Holy Man of Tours".
Learning to pray
Although many promises are associated with prayer, in his book "The Way to Christ" Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
warned against "mechanical prayer" and pointed out the need for self reflection before prayer. And in his message for the 42nd "World Day of Prayer" he said:
- "We have to learn to pray: as it were learning this art ever anew from the lips of the Divine Master himself, like the first disciples: 'Lord, teach us to pray!' (Lk 11:1)."
In his book The Secret of the Rosary
Secret of the Rosary
The Secret of the Rosary is a book about the Holy Rosary written by Saint Louis de Montfort a French priest and Catholic saint who died in 1716. The English translation of the book bears the Imprimatur of Archbishop Thomas E...
Saint Louis de Montfort
Louis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
went into significant detail on how to prepare to say a single rosary. He emphasized purity of intention before the rosary begins, the need for attention, focus and reverence during the prayer and the necessity of fighting distractions .