Downloadable Guide
Online Resources
Ignatian Spirituality
IgnatianSpirituality.com provides pathways into the major areas of Ignatian spirituality: prayer, spiritual direction, retreats, and making good decisions.
Prayer Activities – Saint Mary’s Press Resource Center
Hundreds of individual activities, articles, videos, and presentations – available for free.
https://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/subject/Prayer/6
Loyola Press
https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/prayer
Catechist’s Journey
Catechist.com
https://www.catechist.com/category/lessons-and-activities/prayer
Catholic Mom
(See Rosary and Prayer topics) https://www.catholicmom.com/resources
Sadlier Publishing
https://www.sadlier.com/religion/blog/topic/rel-topic-prayer
Archdiocese of Seattle Faith Formation Resources
https://seattlearchmedia.weebly.com/prayer.html
Religion Teacher
https://www.thereligionteacher.com/?s=Prayer
Guided Prayer! Catholic Kids Media
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbg4F9JBVbPc0oB9QIrYn4_7ldienJvO1
Devotions – Kids Corner
https://kidscorner.net/devotions
Online Resources for Daily Prayer
3-Minute Retreat invites you to take a short prayer break right and spend some quiet time reflecting on a Scripture passage.
Online: https://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer/
App: iOS Android
Abide is a Christian meditation app to stress less and sleep better. Listen to stories based off the Bible. Wake up with the daily meditations that will fuel your mind for the day.
Online: https://abide.co
App: iOS Android
Daily Prayer is an experiential app designed to develop long lasting spiritual rhythms of prayer and scripture reading. Join in prayer and read scripture in the morning, midday, and evening,
Online: https://www.rethinkme.com
App: iOS Android
Pray As You Go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time, and lasting between ten and thirteen minutes with music, Scripture and questions for reflection.
Online: www.pray-as-you-go.org
App: iOS Android
Sacred Space is a daily online prayer experience in six movements including preparing your body and mind, and culminating in reflection on a Scripture passage chosen specially for the day.
Online: www.sacredspace.ie
Society of Saint John the Evangelist offers daily prayer via email and seasons prayer activities, as well as the opportunity to join the Brothers online for prayer.
Daily and Seasonal Prayer: https://www.ssje.org
Soulspace meditation app has been created to help anchor your thoughts to the love of God and the way of Jesus. Soulspace seeks to rid the soul of fear and stress while filling it with truth and life. This creates the opportunity for true and lasting wholeness.
Online: https://soulspace.co
App: iOS Android
Books
There are many excellent books on Catholic prayer and a variety of print resources with prayers and prayer services for all groups. Some examples are listed below:
The Catechist’s Guide to Beloved Catholic Prayers: Understanding and Sharing the Tradition.
Janet Schaeffler, OP (Twenty-Third Publications, 2021). The book explores ten cherished
prayers from the Catholic tradition—their history, meaning, and significance.
Print and Videos
Fr. James Martin has written an excellent guide to pray, Learning to Prayer (Harper One), and created several videos to accompany the book that are available on YouTube.
- What is Prayer – Fr. James Martin (2:58 minutes)
- Why You Should Pray – Fr. James Martin (2:52 minutes)
- Five Ways to Pray – Fr. James Martin (4:25 minutes)
(Ignatian Contemplation, Lectio Divina, The Examen, Centering Prayer, and Nature Prayer) - How Can I Deal with Distractions in Prayer – Fr. James Martin (3:20 minutes)
- What Happens When You Pray – Fr. James Martin (3:25 minutes)
Scripture Passages by Topic
(You can use your own Bible or access these passages online from Bible Gateway by typing the verse into the search. Go to https://www.biblegateway.com. Select the NABRE translation.)
Affliction: Romans 8:18–25, 35–39; Sirach 2:1–18; John 14:1–3; Matthew 11:28–30; Philippians
4:12–13; 2 Corinthians 1:3–7.
Anger: James 1:19–21; Ephesians 4:26; Proverbs 12:16; Sirach 30:24; Colossians 3:12–13; Psalm
37:7–8
Charity/Love: John 13:1–15, 15:9–13; Romans 12:9–21, 13:8–10; 1 Corinthians 13:1–13; 1 Peter
4:8–10; 1 John 3:11–20; 1 John 4:7–12, 18–21.
Confusion about God: Isaiah 55:8–9; James 1:13–14; 1 Peter 4:12–13; James 1:2–3; Luke 6:22–
23; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10
Death: 1 Corinthians 15:19–22; John 11:1– 44; Romans 5:12–15; Colossians 3:1–4.
Discouragement: Philippians 4:6–8; Psalm 138:7–8; John 14:1; John 14:27; Philippians 1:6;
Psalm 94:18–19
Fear: John 4:18; 2 Timothy 1:6–7; Romans 8:15; Psalm 91:1–5; Proverbs 3:25–26; Isaiah 43:2;
Sirach 34:14; Matthew 10:28
Forgiveness: Ezekiel 36:25–36; Matthew 18:15–18, 21–35; Luke 15:11–32.
Friendship: Sirach 6:5–17, 9:10–16, 13:1–13; Luke 10:25–37, 11:5–13; John 15:14–17, 20:11–
18.
Happiness or Joyfulness: Psalm 4:8–9; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 34:6; Psalm 71:23; Isaiah 29:19; Acts
2:28; 3 John 1:4
Impatience: Romans 8:24–25; Psalm 37:7–8; Proverbs 25:15; Ephesians 4:1–3; James 5:8–10
Life: Isaiah 65:17–25; Genesis 1:1—2:4; John 15:4–7; Romans 6:3–11, Romans 20—23;
Matthew 7:13–14; 1 John 5:9–13.
Loneliness: Psalm 25:16–17; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 41:13; John 14:18; Psalm 46:1; Psalm 73:23–
24; Revelation 3:20
Marriage: Genesis 2:18–24; Deuteronomy 24:5; Isaiah 62:3–5; Matthew 19:3–11; 1 Corinthians
7:3–5; Ephesians 5:22–33.
Peace: Ezekiel 34:25–31; Isaiah 2:2–5; John 20:19–26; Luke 24:36–43; Philippians 4:4–7; 2
Timothy 2:20–26.
Physical Illness: Psalm 103:2–3; Jeremiah 30:17; James 5:14–15; Exodus 23:25; Sirach 31:22;
Matthew 10:1
Sadness: Sirach 30:21–23; Matthew 5:4; 2 Corinthians 4:8–10; Ecclesiastes 7:3; Matthew
19:21–22; Isaiah 41:10; Proverbs 15:30
Temptation: Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:15–16; 1 Timothy 6:9; Psalm 119:9–11; James 1:13–
14; Ephesians 6:10–11
Thankfulness: Tobit 12:6; Psalm 107; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 30:13;
Psalm 105:1; Psalm 118; Daniel 3:89; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Exodus
18:8–12; Psalm 111; John 11:41–42; Ephesians 1:3–6; Philippians 1:3–6.
Worry: Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:34; 1 Peter 5:6–7; Philippians 4:18–19; Mark 13:11;
Philippians 4:6