1. Praying Under the
Catholic Umbrella
Facilitated Discussion at 2008
NCCYM in Cleveland
With Cindee Case

2. Introduction
Objectives:
Ground rules:
--identify a variety of
• Respect the person religious expressions
speaking accepted in the Roman
• Invite participation of Catholic Church
everyone in your --Consider benefits of
group presenting teens with a
• Allow the mic to pick number of prayer options
up your comments --Reflect on how the
minister’s personal
spirituality impacts the
ministry

3. Your Starting Point
• How would you describe your
preferred prayer style(s)?
• What is your favorite way to pray?
• Where are your favorite places to
pray?
• When are your favorite times to
pray?

4. Remembering your Teen Years
• List prayer experiences you
recall from your youth
(consider the ages of the
young people with whom you serve)
• What were they?
• Where were they?
• Did you like or dislike?
• Why?

5. Consider JUST music…
• Country Folk
• Rap
• Classical
Opera
• Gospel Bluegrass
• Top 40 Techno
• Alternative
• Hip hop Grunge
• Disco Do Wop
What styles feed your soul? 80’s

6. 1st small group
Quickly introduce yourself (name,
parish/school/agency, and
diocese)
• Start brainstorming prayer styles on
newsprint
• Feel free to pull from your personal prayer
styles from now and your experiences as a
teen.

7. A Variety of Prayer Styles under the Catholic Umbrella
“The Gospels message is too rich to be contained within one paradigm.”
(E. Schillebeeckx)
Gregorian chant
Journaling CCM
Nature Walks Praise
Taize’
Meditation Petition
Busy-Person’s retreat Grace Before Meals
Stations of the Cross Centering Prayer
Eucharistic Liturgy Holy Hours Penance Services
Rosary Liturgy of the Hours Prayer & Praise Nights
Small Christian Communities Charismatic Prayer Group
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises Online Prayer Boards Spiritual Reading
Monastic retreats Campus Prayer Rallies Labyrinth Walks Contemplation
Live of the Saints Music Ministry Online retreats Prayer Partners Novenas
Adoration Liturgical Movement Pilgrimage Lectio Dainvia
Bible Studies Readings of the Day Witnessing Parish Mission
(Created by Cindee Case 2005)

8. More reflection
• How are you currently praying with young
people?
• What are you teaching them about
spirituality?
• Looking back on the first reflection
questions, as you described your prayer
style – what things are the teens learning
from you?
• Are there other styles that you may need
to invite other people in to lead?

9. Prayer and the Catechism
• Part 4 of the CCC is all on prayer, sections
2558 – 2865.
• Lists and describes 5 forms of prayer:
– Blessing and Adoration (2626 - 2628)
– Petition (2629 – 2633)
– Intercession (2634 – 2636)
– Thanksgiving (2637 – 2638)
– Praise (2639 – 2643)

10. Catechism and Prayer continued
• Gives examples of the Way of Prayer:
– To the Father
– To Jesus
– To the Holy Spirit
– In Communion with Mary
– (sect. 2664 – 2679)

11. Catechism and Prayer continued
• 3 Expressions of Prayer
– Vocal: We are body and spirit, and we experience
the need to translate our feelings externally. We must
pray with our whole being … (sect. 2702)
– Meditation: The mind seeks to understand the why and
how of the Christian life, in order to adhere to what the
Lord is asking… (sect. 2705)
– Contemplation: …is the prayer of the child of God, of the
forgiven sinner who agrees to welcome the love by which
he is loved and wants to respond to it by loving even
more…(it is) the poor and humble surrender to the loving
will of the Father…(sect. 2712).

12. Catechism and Prayer continued
===================================
Even addresses difficulties to prayer –
distraction dryness
lack of faith feeling as not being heard.
===================================
“Prayer and Christian life are
INSEPERABLE” (sect. 2745)

13. Christian Spirituality invites us
to deepen our appreciation of
the sacredness of ordinary life
and to see that our regular
routine of work and family life
contains countless opportunities
for spiritual transformation…
Wilkie Au & Noreen Cannon. Urgings of the Heart: A Spirituality of Integration.
Paulist Press, 1995.

14. Worship enables us to
remember a God who holds us
in the palm of his hands, a
God who molds and shapes us
as a potter shapes the clay…a
God who never forgets so
that we can always remember.
Gregory Klein & Robert Wolfe. Pastoral Foundations of the Sacraments: A
Catholic Perspective. Paulist Press, 1998.

15. In order to sustain
yourself in faith you must
regularly
(most would say daily)
spend an extended period
of time in private prayer…
Ronald Rolheiser. The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality.
Doubleday, 1999.

16. “Rejoice always.
Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks,
For this is the will of God for you
in Christ Jesus.”
(1 Thes. 5: 16 – 18a)