Logo

Prayer

What is Prayer?

Prayer is how we stay close to God.

The Catechism of the Catholic church describes prayer as "the raising of one's mind and heart to God."

Prayer is a living, personal relationship with the true and living God. In other words, prayer is not mainly a technique; it's friendship.

Where to Start?

The STAR method of prayer is a simple and practical way to spend a few focused minutes with God each day. It gives a clear structure so that our prayer is balanced and not rushed. A helpful way to use it is to spend about one minute on each step.

S – Sorry (1 minute)
Begin by placing yourself in God’s presence and reflecting briefly on your day. Where have you fallen short? Gently acknowledge your sins and say sorry, trusting in God’s mercy. This is not about guilt, but about honesty and opening your heart to His forgiveness.

T – Thanks (1 minute)
Next, give thanks. Think of specific things from your day—people, moments, opportunities—and thank God for them. Even in difficult times, there is always something to be grateful for.

A – Adore (1 minute)
Spend a minute simply praising God for who He is. Tell Him that He is good, faithful, loving, and worthy of all praise. This lifts your prayer beyond yourself and centres it on Him.

R – Request (1 minute)
Finally, bring your needs to God. Ask for help, guidance, strength, and pray for others. Trust that He listens and cares.

In just four minutes, STAR helps you to pray simply, deeply, and every day.

Essential Catholic prayers

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end.
Amen.

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.

Praying with Scripture

If you are not sure what to say in prayer, the simplest answer is this: let Scripture give you the words.

Take a short passage from the Gospel and read it slowly. Do not rush. Notice what stands out to you, perhaps a word, a phrase, or an image. Stay with it. Speak to God about whatever it stirs in your heart. Then be still for a moment and allow Him to speak to you in the silence.

You do not need to read a lot. Even a few lines each day can steady the heart, focus the mind, and draw you closer to the Lord. Over time, Scripture will begin to shape the way you think, speak, and pray.

Try it now using one of these passages:

Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28–29)

Jesus said, “Which of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:9–11)

Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.” (John 15:4–5)

Read the passage slowly. Repeat. Notice what draws your attention. Stay with it and let it become your prayer.

The Rosary

The Rosary is a simple way of meditating on the life of Jesus. As we move the beads through our fingers and pray the Our Father's and Hail Mary's hold in mind a particular Gospel scene (a "mystery") - for example the Annunciation, the Crucifixion, or the Resurrection. The repetition is a means to give your prayer a steady rhythm, as an aid to meditating on the mystery.

If you would like one clear place that lays it all out properly, Catholic Answers has a very straightforward guide. It explains the four sets of mysteries, which days they're usually prayed, and it gives the step-by-step order from beginning to end. It also includes the full text of the prayers used in the Rosary: How to Pray the Rosary

When Prayer Feels Dry

There are seasons when prayer feels easy, and seasons when it doesn't.

Dryness doesn't mean you're failing. Often it simply means you're being invited to a more mature faith where we pray not because of pleasant feelings, but because God is God and its good for us to pray to him.

A very honest prayer is enough:

  • "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."
  • "Lord, teach me to pray."
  • "Lord, stay close to me."

Prayer as a Parish Community

We pray most deeply as Catholics in the liturgy - above all at Holy Mass, where the Church prays with the words of Scripture and offers Christ to the Father in the Holy Eucharist.

For information about Mass times, confession, adoration, and other opportunities for prayer in the Divine Mercy Partnership, please see the Newsletter and the relevant pages on this website.