Father Behr writes:

Dear Parishioners,

Our third and final ‘pillar’ of Lent is prayer.  There is so much we could say about prayer, there are many excellent books on the subject and the last part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is devoted to the subject and is widely regarded as a masterful resource.  See Christian Prayer from paragraph 2558 onwards.

St Therese of Lisieux, that most reliable teacher on the spiritual life described prayer in this way:

“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. (St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Manuscrits autobiographiques, C 25r.)”

Therese around 1888

During Lent we have the opportunity to grow in our understanding of prayer and to deepen our prayer life. Many people have found it helpful to have a guide in their journey such as a book or to follow a course.

If you are interested in sharing resources that you have found helpful do get in touch. Perhaps there is a particular book or devotion which really helped you to grow in prayer and which may be beneficial to others. Perhaps you use one of the many excellent resources available online and would like to share that with others. I’m sure that in the post-COVID period our parish can once again be a centre of prayer, devotion and worship.

Resources for prayer:

• Catechism on Prayer;
• Father Schmitz’s Tips for Praying;
• A fantastic resource here for those who want to go deeper.

Best wishes, Father Behruz Rafat