Catholic Christianity & Prayer (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note

The nature & purpose of prayer

• Prayer is a way of communicating with God

• Catholics believe that they can speak to God through prayer

• They also believe that prayer is a two-way form of communication: God is listening and may send messages back

• Jesus spoke to his followers about the importance of prayer to deepen his relationship with God

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes prayer using these words:

• Catholics believe that there are four important purposes of prayer:

  • Adoration - to praise and adore God

  • Contrition - to say sorry for the times they have sinned against God’s will

  • Thanksgiving - to thank God for all their blessings

  • Supplication - to ask God for their needs. These include both petitions for their own needs, and intercessions when they ask for the needs of others in the world

• Importance of prayer for Catholics

  • Prayer is an expression of faith in God

• Believing that communication with God is possible brings Catholics comfort and assurance

  • This is particularly important in times of trouble 

• Communicating with God through prayer helps a believer to come closer to God and to develop a personal relationship with him

• Praying to God is a way of following Bible teachings and the example of Jesus

  • For example, St Paul taught:

Formal & informal prayer

• Catholic Christians use different types of prayer for different occasions

Formal prayer

• Formal prayers are set, traditional prayers

• These can be said both in public, for example, during church services, or in private

• Catholics often learn these prayers off by heart

  • They are passed down through generations and are taught at home, school and church

• Examples of formal prayers include:

  • The Lord’s Prayer (see below)

  • Hail Mary

  • Sign of the Cross

  • Glory be to the Father

• Benefits of formal prayers:

  • Because the words are already laid out, people do not have to think of the correct words to say to God

  • Believers may become more open to God’s presence as they pray, because they are not distracted by trying to find the right words

  • People can express their beliefs through reciting the prayers. For example, reciting the Hail Mary shows the importance of the Virgin Mary to the believer

  • People can join their prayers with other people easily, making community prayers possible

Informal prayer

• Informal prayers are when the believer talks to God in their own words

• These prayers are sometimes known as extempore prayers

• They do not require the person to learn any words and can be spontaneous (made up on the spot, with no preparation)

• Believers often think that the Holy Spirit guides them to know what to say

• Examples of informal prayers include meditation and silent reflection

• Benefits of informal prayer:

  • The person can say exactly what they are thinking and feeling to God and ask for help for their specific concerns

  • They can deepen their relationship with God by speaking to him in this way, since these prayers can express their honest, inward thoughts

  • No preparation is necessary

  • They can be performed alone and do not need to be part of a set ritual or service

The Lord’s Prayer

• The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father, is the most famous set prayer

• Jesus taught this prayer to his followers when they asked him how to pray

• This prayer is set out in Matthew’s gospel:

• The words of the Lord’s Prayer reflect some of the most important Christian beliefs

  • God exists in heaven

  • God is holy

  • God is powerful

  • If God’s will (rules) was followed by everyone, his kingdom would be complete

  • God gives people all their basic needs for survival

  • God forgives people their sins

• It also instructs believers in how to live their daily lives

• The Lord’s Prayer is said daily by many Catholics. It is also recited at Mass and as part of the Rosary