Prayer is a fundamental component of our lives as people of faith.  It is the way in which we encounter, express and maintain our living relationship with the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

  The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo are committed to providing a variety of opportunities for people to understand, appreciate and practice prayer in the faith community and in their personal lives.

  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, prayer is the “living relationship,” “the habit of being in the presence of God.” (cf. #2565).  It is always a response to what God is doing as Creator and Redeemer of the Universe – a response to God’s invitation to life, to love, and to relationship (cf. 2567).

  Prayer may be expressed in various ways, in words or gestures (and sometimes without either), but in any case genuine prayer always comes from deep within the person – from what Scripture calls the heart, “our hidden center,” beyond the grasp of reason alone.  It is "the place of decision,…the place of truth,…the place of encounter….”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2562, 2563).

  The Christian community has traditionally identified these four main purposes of prayer:
     • to bless and adore God (Praise);
     • to ask God for what we need (Petition);
     • to ask God for what others need (Intercession);
     • to express gratitude for what God has done (Thanksgiving).

  Prayer may be either public or private.  It may take place in solitude, in a small group, among family members, or in the midst of the liturgical assembly.  It can range in form from the quiet and sedate recitation of traditional formulas to the ecstatic and boisterous demonstrations of charismatic prayer. It may be very verbal or very reflective.  The deepest forms of prayer, meditation and contemplation, use no words at all; they consist entirely of “being in the presence" of God and listening.

  Just as an individual's personality shapes how they communicate in human relationships, an individual's personality shapes a person's prayer as well. The best way to pray is the way which is best for you, which is to say the way which is most natural for you--the way which best fits your personality, the circumstances of your life, and your relationship to the Divine.

  Because prayer is always first of all a response to how we have seen or heard God’s presence or absence in our lives, the ultimate goal of prayer is always to become more attentive, and in turn, more responsive to God's presence in our lives and in the world around us. For this reason, although many people find it helpful or necessary to schedule prayer at different times during the day or week, the ultimate goal of prayer is being so aware of God's presence that we respond spontaneously whenever and wherever we encounter the Divine Spirit.