Praying in a church

[LennyFL]

Is it better to pray in a Catholic Church or anywhere? Does it matter where you pray. Are the prayers in a church more powerful? Just wondering. Thank you!

 

[bben15]

You can pray anywhere you like, though a church is God’s house. I don’t like praying in church because we have a lot of talkers, and my pastor won’t do anything about them, so it is hard to concentrate.

 

[JamesTheJust]

Is it better to pray in a Catholic Church or anywhere? Does it matter where you pray. Are the prayers in a church more powerful? Just wondering. Thank you!

Prayer is a good thing, wherever you are. If you hear someone crying, say a prayer for them. If you feel that you need something, ask God for it. Before eating, say a prayer of thanks. Always keep prayer and worship at the center of you life. Talk to God unceasingly.

The Church is God’s house. There, prayers are not necessarily more powerful, but being in a Church may help one to pray better. Eucharistic Adoration, most especially, is one of the most amazing places to pray. There, we are praying in the very presence of The Lord!

 

[ClearWater]

Well, a church is God’s house as was also just stated. You can pray anywhere, on the bus, walking, waiting in line.

In Mexico, we literally wait hours and hours in line. I will often wait, say 3 hours, for an appointment. I will often bring my Bible, sometimes pray, and it helps me be patient with these long waits.

Now, I’ve read that with some prayers, the location DOES make a difference, like with the rosary and indulgences. In some cases, it will only be given full indulgences if it is prayed in a church, or group, or other circumstances. If it’s not in a church, group, etc., then it’d only be given a partial indulgence.

 

[Phil_Marinus]

I like to Pray as I work… Plus I sing the lords Pray as I’m driving around the place, mostly because sometimes radio stations play rubbish,

 

[mexolic]

I would stop on occasion into a Catholic church to pray. I enjoy praying while being surrounded by beautiful things in a Catholic church: the altar, tabernacle, Stations of the Cross, statues of saints, stained glass windows.

 

[LennyFL]

I think I understand. My girlfriend tells me she can pray anywhere because she is Protestant and Catholics believe that they need to go to Church to pray. It told her that was not true. I already knew that God hears your prayer anywhere I just wanted to explain better the significants of praying in a Church. So it is beneficial to pray in a church because it is the house of God and it helps you pray better. I’ve noticed when I go to church I do feel closer to God because when I go to Church my focus is on God only. I could add that also. Thank you everyone. God bless!

 

[peace2u2]

This is a good question!

Your girlfriend is right - we can worship God anywhere and we should. But we need to go further and understand that the Mass is the greatest and most important prayer of the Church for God meets us in a special way that can’t be done in any other church. Jesus meets us hidden in the Eucharist and is our spiritual food where He nourishes us with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

When God revealed Himself to me during my 1st conversion, He called me to return to worshipping Him with the community of faithful in the context of the liturgical prayer - the Mass. He called me to get up and go to church to pray and to receive holy water - I needed to claim my baptism as my own for it was made in proxy by my parents and I needed to say yes to Jesus to be my Lord and Savior - I have not been disappointed! Amen God is alive and still speaks to us even today.

The Magnificence of the Mass:
youtube.com/watch?v=5MOyDjizb1s

Matt Maher - Love Comes Down
youtube.com/watch?v=beAXbgFP3Wg&list=PL7D816DAC0FEC1DD8

Matt Maher “All The People Said Amen!”
youtube.com/watch?v=WhfPLYVZ5j0&list=PLDC7VhJQWJDWpZ3rxC5pEUjQ0WkoUTVrd

The Catechism has been a very helpful tool when used as a companion to reading His Word: you can also type in the search for explanation of the Mass.

The Catechism states:
[2700 Through his Word, God speaks to man. By words, mental or vocal, our prayer takes flesh. Yet it is most important that the heart should be present to him to whom we are speaking in prayer: “Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our souls.”2 (1176)]

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm

 

[peace2u2]

you feel this way because He really is present in the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle. The light that is lit next to the Tabernacle is a reminder of this great mystery that God is with us in a very special way.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Is it better to pray in a Catholic Church or anywhere? Does it matter where you pray. Are the prayers in a church more powerful? Just wondering. Thank you!

I’ve been to many different Churches - many denominations. I have to admit that there is something special about some Catholic Churches I’ve attended that I have not found anywhere else (Notice I said some). However, at this one non-denominational Church I used to go to, there was a great group of prayer warriors. When we got together to pray it was very powerful, not emotional but powerful. There was much faith with the group and most of us had been delivered from overwhelming odds in life. I won’t lie, I miss them. Sadly some of them turned their backs on me when I reverted to Catholicism.

I like going to my Parish in the middle of the day when there is no one else but Christ there. It’s a little selfish but it gives me the opportunity to cry, laugh, be angry without having to worry about someone seeing me (Other than Christ ). I can prostrate myself on the floor hiding between one of the pillars and a line of benches in case someone walks by and sees me. I like the privacy and intimacy of prayer at the Church.

At the house, I go in my closet. I’ve found it to be a great substitute.

But it really doesn’t matter where we pray, just that we actually pray. If you have a long commute, that is a great opportunity to pray - I have a Rosary app, and the Pray as you go podcast that I listen to. I also have many many conversations (prayers) with God while I commute (Mine is about an hour each way).

At the house in my backyard, I sometimes go and pray at night. One of my sycamore trees gets this really cool effect where the top of the tree is lit from the rest of it and all the other trees around - I have not figured out why. I like to think that it is Christ lighting it up to remind me of His love and to have faith and hope always.

Wherever you are, pray and pray without ceasing!

God Bless and may God guide you in your journey.

 

[johnthebaptist2]

You can pray any were,at home,sitting on a bench outside,in a park,ever,but I like praying in the church because it is peaceful,and I,am in the presents of God.