How often do you pray ?

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wcknight

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I used to think Muslims had it rough having to pray 5 times a day, but Catholics pray or are encouraged to pray even more often than 5.

More often than not I am likely to forget to say a morning prayer. I usually am in a rush to get to work on time, and I just forget or have not gotten into a habit of saying morning prayers.

Before and after meals, it is also less than a 50-50 chance that I will remember to pray.

Evenings are a little better, except it is far more likely that I will pray while lying in bed than make the effort to pray on my knees,as I usually go to sleep way too late have to get up early each morning.

Overall I’m not a very good example of frequent prayers, except maybe on Sundays or KC meeting nights. It coule be that on average I may not even be matching the 5 times that mormons do.

Some of the saints prayed constantly dawn to dusk. Heaven knows the world needs a lot more praying and a lot less bickering.

What are your prayer habits like ???
 
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wcknight:
I used to think Muslims had it rough having to pray 5 times a day, but Catholics pray or are encouraged to pray even more often than 5.

More often than not I am likely to forget to say a morning prayer. I usually am in a rush to get to work on time, and I just forget or have not gotten into a habit of saying morning prayers.

Before and after meals, it is also less than a 50-50 chance that I will remember to pray.

Evenings are a little better, except it is far more likely that I will pray while lying in bed than make the effort to pray on my knees,as I usually go to sleep way too late have to get up early each morning.

Overall I’m not a very good example of frequent prayers, except maybe on Sundays or KC meeting nights. It coule be that on average I may not even be matching the 5 times that mormons do.

Some of the saints prayed constantly dawn to dusk. Heaven knows the world needs a lot more praying and a lot less bickering.

What are your prayer habits like ???
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Where do you get this number 5 from?? As Catholics we should pray daily but where does it say that Catholics are encouraged to pray at least 5 times a day??
 
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wcknight:
I
…Some of the saints prayed constantly dawn to dusk. Heaven knows the world needs a lot more praying and a lot less bickering.

What are your prayer habits like ???
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I pray from dawn till dusk and I certainly don’t consider myself a saint…but I try…(We are all called to be saints in the midst of the world!) As soon as I get out of bed I get on my knees and begin… from morning offering, quiet time…Rosary… spiritual reading…Rosary…Mass…CAF…Angelus…Rosary…Divine Mercy…CAF… Rosary…EWTN Mass…CAF…Evening prayers and examination of conscience on my knees… and I fall asleep praying Divine Mercy…:amen:
 
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thistle:
Where do you get this number 5 from?? As Catholics we should pray daily but where does it say that Catholics are encouraged to pray at least 5 times a day??
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If you pray the Liturgy of the Hours all the way though it comes to 7 times a day.

I pray in the mornings after the shower before work. usually the Divine office,the Rosary or Chaplet of divine mercy.
 
+JMJ+

For those who do not have enough time throughout the day to pray the full Liturgy of the Hours you can buy the shortened version,Christian Prayer which has morning and evening prayer and selections of the Divine Office and other parts of the Liturgy of the Hours.

God bless you and Mary keep you!
 
Michael C:
If you pray the Liturgy of the Hours all the way though it comes to 7 times a day.

I pray in the mornings after the shower before work. usually the Divine office,the Rosary or Chaplet of divine mercy.
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I pray several times a day. I was just curious as to where the OP got his information that Catholics should be praying at least 5 times a day. I’ve never heard of that.
 
pray from dawn till dusk and I certainly don’t consider myself a saint…but I try…(We are all called to be saints in the midst of the world!) As soon as I get out of bed I get on my knees and begin… from morning offering, quiet time…Rosary… spiritual reading…Rosary…Mass…CAF…Angelu s…Rosary…Divine Mercy…CAF… Rosary…EWTN Mass…CAF…Evening prayers and examination of conscience on my knees… and I fall asleep praying Divine Mercy…:amen:

WOW! That puts me to shame. I pray the morning and evening prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, a rosary, and sporadically during the day. Fr. John Hardon in his book The Catholic Catechism p.81 states that *“there is no higher use we can make of our liberty than freely to choose to pray.” *
 
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thistle:
I pray several times a day. I was just curious as to where the OP got his information that Catholics should be praying at least 5 times a day. I’ve never heard of that.
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Well I think we’re encouraged to pray upon waking (thanking God for the Day etc), Then there’s Grace before each of our three meals, then there’s a prayer before sleeping (Now I lay me down to sleep…)

Yep, five seems about right as a minimum goal.
 
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mikew262:
God must have an ear ache! 😃
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I’m just doing what The Lord said to do…😉
Luke 18:1-8
Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said,
2 “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” 6 The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
 
I came up with the number 5 just from morning and evening prayers and prayers before ( and there used to be prayers after meals as well) each meal… there is no law written as such because I would be breaking it nearly every other day.

Some days I don’t make five and some days I make a whole lot more.
 
Prayer habits… Not as often as I should :o I have taught my children to say grace before every meal - now they are reminding me. Still need to work on other prayer times, though.
 
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wcknight:
I came up with the number 5 just from morning and evening prayers and prayers before ( and there used to be prayers after meals as well) each meal… there is no law written as such because I would be breaking it nearly every other day.

Some days I don’t make five and some days I make a whole lot more.
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Okay. Thanks.
 
Isn’t praying a conversation with God? I pray formally, but not as much as others here have mentioned. I do talk to God throughout the day about anything and everything.
 
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wcknight:
I used to think Muslims had it rough having to pray 5 times a day, but Catholics pray or are encouraged to pray even more often than 5.

More often than not I am likely to forget to say a morning prayer. I usually am in a rush to get to work on time, and I just forget or have not gotten into a habit of saying morning prayers.

Before and after meals, it is also less than a 50-50 chance that I will remember to pray.

Evenings are a little better, except it is far more likely that I will pray while lying in bed than make the effort to pray on my knees,as I usually go to sleep way too late have to get up early each morning.

The Scripture says “pray always”, and there are many ways to pray. Liturgy of the Hours, Rosary CD in a car while you drive, short prayers throughout the day, quiet meditation time on a Scripture verse, etc.

And you don’t have to do it on your knees. My morning prayer time is about 45 minutes and I do it sitting up in bed.

Gradually we should be getting the mindset of “pray always” like we are asked to do in Scripture. It takes effort and the grace of God, but He is there to help us. Even while doing our daily duties our minds should be on doing it for the Lord and for His Glory.

Overall I’m not a very good example of frequent prayers, except maybe on Sundays or KC meeting nights. It coule be that on average I may not even be matching the 5 times that mormons do.

Some of the saints prayed constantly dawn to dusk. Heaven knows the world needs a lot more praying and a lot less bickering.

What are your prayer habits like ???
Click to expand...
 
40.png
wcknight:
I used to think Muslims had it rough having to pray 5 times a day, but Catholics pray or are encouraged to pray even more often than 5.

More often than not I am likely to forget to say a morning prayer. I usually am in a rush to get to work on time, and I just forget or have not gotten into a habit of saying morning prayers.

Before and after meals, it is also less than a 50-50 chance that I will remember to pray.

Evenings are a little better, except it is far more likely that I will pray while lying in bed than make the effort to pray on my knees,as I usually go to sleep way too late have to get up early each morning.

Overall I’m not a very good example of frequent prayers, except maybe on Sundays or KC meeting nights. It coule be that on average I may not even be matching the 5 times that mormons do.

Some of the saints prayed constantly dawn to dusk. Heaven knows the world needs a lot more praying and a lot less bickering.

What are your prayer habits like ???
Click to expand...
Ooops sorry, that didn’t come out right. I had posted an answer.

Scripture tells us to “pray always” and we can come to that with our good habits. I get up early and pray 45 minutes while sitting up in bed. Spiritual directors usually tell us to be in a comfortable position.

We can talk to God in our own words, pray along with a Rosary CD in our cars, and make short affective prayers throughout the day. There is also quiet meditation on Scripture, and being still while adoring God and listening to Him.

These good habits take a while to develop…but the Lord will bless us with wisdom and His Grace every day.
 
Formal Prayer? Let’s add it up … * Upon arising

+1
  • Upon going to bed
+1
  • Evening prayer with family.
+1
  • Prayer before sit-down meals (no prayer before snacks or meals where I don’t sit down – no particular reason … just never did it)
  • 2-3
  • Prayer while driving alone in the car. This varies from day to day and so does the length. Let’s take a swag at it and say 2-3.
+2-3
Add it all up …

1 + 1 + 1 + (2-3) + (2-3) = 7 - 9

On average, I formally pray about 7 - 9 times a day.
 
As often as I can, Formal Prayers I would say 4 times a day. But I also Pray “informally” many times during the day. Also an examination of the Consience at least twice a day. No Saint just trying each day to live the best way I can.
 
I have certain “cues” during the day that remind me to pray.

I always wear a crucifix, so I say the Morning Offering when I put it on in the AM and the Act of Contrition when I take it off at night.

I work in a hospital and the chapel (Catholic, with a tabernacle!) is between my office and the cafe, so I stop for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament on the way to get lunch and say the Grace before meals as I pass it on the way back with lunch.

When I’m driving and pass a Catholic church, I always greet Our Lord in the tabernacle as I pass by. When my daughter was very young, we used to wave to Jesus and say, “Hi, Jesus, we love you!”

And the end of the workday is my cue to go to daily Mass. We have a 5:30 nearby, which allows me some personal prayer time beforehand. To be honest, I don’t make it every day - sometimes only once a week - but that time of day is another reminder for me.

There are other little things you can do to stay in touch with God all day - pray when the phone rings, when you go to the copier, or whatever. When you go downstairs, you can pray with John the Baptist, “Lord, You must increase and I must decrease.” When you wash your hands, pray with the leper, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.”

Prayer can be as constant as breathing.

Betsy
 
On arising I try to say the morning prayer in which I offer to Jesus my prayers, works, joys and sufferings throughout the day. I see this as a way of fulfilling the need for neverending prayer to God.

When alone in the car I will pray: the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory be, the Fatima prayer, the prayer to St. Michael. Depending upon the length of the trip I will pray for the intentions of the sick, the dead, our priests, for conversion, and for family harmony.

My prayers at night include a reflection of my day, an act of contrition and prayers for the adoration of God, thanksgiving for his blessings and for the intentions of my family, friends and those I have visited in hospital, nursing home, homebound and prison.
:blessyou:
 
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