2020 High School C.C.

E 10th Grade
Session 19: Why do YOU Pray?
These “lessons” are intended to be completed together, student along with at least one parent, or godparent,
or grandparent, or other mentor in the Faith. Older or younger brothers and sisters can participate too.

I) Please ask the student to read these three paragraphs in his or her YouCat book: 483, 490, 499
II) Please pray together these verses from Psalm 22 (a good way to pray a psalm together is aloud, alternating verses)
While you are reciting it together, please imagine seeing Jesus on the Cross, with His Mother Mary standing
there at the cross with Him
Psalm 22 verses 2-20
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Many bulls have surrounded me,
You are far from my plea and the cry of my distress. fierce bulls of Bashan close me in.
O my God, I call by day and you give no reply; Against me they open wide their jaws,
I call by night and I find no peace. like lions, rending and roaring.

Yet you, O God, are holy, Like water I am poured out,

enthroned on the praises of Israel. disjointed are all my bones.
In you our fathers put their trust; My heart has become like wax,
they trusted and you set them free. it is melted within my breast.
When they cried to you, they escaped.
In you they trusted and never in vain. Parched as burnt clay is my throat,
my tongue cleaves to my jaws.
But I am a worm and no man, Many dogs have surrounded me,
scorned by men, despised by the people. a band of the wicked beset me.
All who see me deride me. They tear holes in my hands and my feet
They curl their lips, they toss their heads. and lay me in the dust of death.
“He trusted in the Lord, let him save him;
let him release him if this is his friend.” I can count every one of my bones.
These people stare at me and gloat;
Yes, it was you who took me from the womb, they divide my clothing among them.
entrusted me to my mother’s breast. They cast lots for my robe.
To you I was committed from my birth, But you, Lord, do not stay far off; my strength, come
from my mother’s womb you have been my God. quickly to help me.
Do not leave me alone in my distress;
come close, there is none else to help. AMEN

III) As you discuss this lesson together, if you have any questions or comments,
please email to me and I will answer you: [email protected]

IV) In philosophy (“love of wisdom”) we categorize things to better understand and explain them. By looking at
the relationship of what something IS and what it ISN’T, we are better able to understand them.

V) Why do you pray?

Prayer is our communication with God.
We pray because we love God and want to express that love in communication.
Sometimes we pray to ask God, sometimes we pray to hear what He asks us.
Prayer is as much an action of our heart as our mind and voice.

VI) Categories of Prayer

A) The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines six categories of prayer by our purpose in each type:

Prayer of Blessing Prayer of Intercession

Prayer of Adoration Prayer of Thanksgiving
Prayer of Petition Prayer of Praise
1) Prayer of Blessing
(a) This intention is man’s response to God’s gift.
(b) Imploring the Grace of the Holy Spirit to descend.
(c) When we bless other people, or even things (like our meals before eating) we are asking God to
make them holy-to sanctify them.
(d) When we make the Sign of the Cross for example, we are blessing ourselves.

2) Prayer of Adoration
(a) Pure worship. An expression of our love for the God who made us and sustains us.
(b) Adoration is the worship that is due God. Prayer exalting the greatness of God.
(c) We acknowledge that He is God, and we are His creature. Pure worship.
(d) In the Our Father: “Hallowed be thy name” is a prayer of adoration.
(e) Have you ever made a visit to the Blessed Sacrament?
(i) What did you do? How did you feel?
(ii) We have Adoration at church (First Fridays all day, Thursdays 7 pm Holy Hour)
(iii) Jesus is also present in the tabernacle at church all of the time for visits.
(iv) And Jesus is present in His Divinity everywhere.

3) Prayer of Petition (also called Prayer of Supplication)

(a) Asking God for what we need and desire.
(b) Most of our prayer is probably Petition, but not all prayer should be asking for something,
(c) The most important petition we ask for is for forgiveness of our sins.
(d) Pope Francis has warned us against embracing the theory that the prayer of supplication – or
asking something for oneself – is a weak form of faith.
“No!” he said, “A faith that asks is authentic. It is spontaneous and an act of faith in
God who is Father”. “God is truly a Father who has an immense compassion for us and
wants his children to address him directly and without fear.” Wednesay General Audience 12/12/18
(e) Please read together: Luke 18: 1-8
The Parable of the Persistent Widow. In telling this story, Jesus is not saying the God is unjust,
like the judge; nor is He saying that God fears we will “strike” Him. He is saying that just as the
widow kept asking, so might we, when we have faith, keep asking for what we need.

4) Prayer of Intercession
(a) Asking God for the needs of others.
(b) We often pray for other people. Our families, our loved ones, those in need or trouble, our
leaders, even sometimes for strangers.
(c) Jesus is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf of all people.
(d) When we pray to Mary or to other Holy Saints, we are not worshipping them with prayer of
adoration, we are asking them to pray with us and for us to God.
(e) Jesus said:
“When two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I amongst them.” Matthew 18:20
So Jesus wants us to pray together. We can pray together with those who are with Him in
Heaven.

5) Prayer of Thanksgiving
(a) Expressing our gratefulness to God for any and all things He has given us.
(b) St. Paul wrote “In all circumstances give thanks…” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

6) Prayer of Praise
(a) Expressing our love of God.
(b) Praising God embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward Him.
 B) Please choose one of the above six categories of prayer and together write a short prayer in your
own words.

Type of Prayer ______________________________

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ Amen
REMEMBER: You are not required to send this to me, although I would be happy to see it.

VII) Here are some prayers you may like to know and pray:
Morning Offering Evening Prayer (St Augustine 354-430)
O Jesus, Watch, O Lord, with those who wake,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, or watch, or weep tonight,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings and give Your Angels and Saints charge over those
of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred who sleep.
Heart, Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Rest Your weary ones,
throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, Bless Your dying ones,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, Soothe Your suffering ones,
and in particular pity Your afflicted ones,
for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen Shield Your joyous ones,
And all for Your love's sake. Amen

Blessing before meals

Bless us, O Lord, Grace after meals
and these, Thy gifts, We thank Thee O Lord, for all thy benefits,
which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Who livest and reignest forever, Amen.,
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of St. Richard of Chichester, Bishop (1197-1253)

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly. Amen

Nada de Turbe: Prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582)

Nada te turbe; nada te espante; Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you,
Todo se pasa; All things pass away:
Dios no se muda, God never changes.
La paciencia todo lo alcanza. Patience obtains all things.
Quien a Dios tiene, nada le falta. He who has God, finds he lacks nothing.
Solo Dios basta. Amen God alone suffices. Amen
AND, PLEASE PRAY TOGETHER TO END YOUR LESSON
FINAL PRAYER Ave Regina Caelorum (Traditionally prayed from Candlemass to Holy Saturday)
Ave, Regina caelorum, Hail, O Queen of heaven enthroned!
Ave, Domina angelorum, Hail, by angels Mistress owned
Salve, radix, salve, porta,
Root of Jesse, Gate of morn,
Ex qua mundo lux est orta
Whence the world’s true Light was born
Gaude, Virgo gloriosa, Glorious Virgin, joy to thee,
Super omnes speciosa; Loveliest whom in heaven they see;
Vale, o valde decora,
Fairest thou where all are fair,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.
Plead with Christ our sins to spare AMEN

…OR, if you do this lesson together on Easter Sunday or after:

FINAL PRAYER Regina Coeli (Traditionally prayed from Easter to Pentecost)

V. Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia V. Regína caeli, Lætáre, allelúia,
R. For He whom thou wast made worthy to R. Quia quem meruísti portáre, allelúia
bear, alleluia V. Resurréxit sicut dixit, allelúia;
V Hath risen as he said, alleluia R. Ora pro nobis Deum, allelúia
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia V. Gaude et Lætare, Virgo Maria, allelúia
V Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary. alleluia R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, allelúia
R. For the Lord has risen indeed. Alleluia

Let us pray: Oremus.

O God, who gave joy to the world through the Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini
resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Nostri Iesu Christi,
Grant we beseech Thee, that through the mundum lætificare dignatus es:
intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, His præsta, quæsumus, ut per eius Genitricem
Mother, Virginem Mariam, perpetuæ capiamus gaudia vitæ.
We may obtain unto the joys of everlasting life. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen AMEN