Father James Martin’s prayer guide (for everyone)

Whether you are an agnostic seeker who’s curious about the whole
“prayer” thing or a seasoned Catholic looking to deepen your
relationship with God, James Martin, S.J., has a book for you—and
everyone else. In his new book, Learning to Pray: A Guide for
Everyone, Father Martin not only answers the question “Why pray?”
and introduces readers to different types of prayer; he tackles
what he considers “one of the most confusing parts about the
spiritual life”: What happens when you pray? That is, what are you
supposed to hear or feel when you close your eyes?   We
talk to Father Martin about the most common barriers to prayer, how
you can tell what’s coming from God in prayer and whether we’re
thinking about “consolations and desolations” in the right way.
Plus, we bring him the questions you, dear listeners, posted to the
Jesuitical Facebook group. In Signs of the Times, we’ve got to
stories from Pope Francis. First, in a meeting with Italian
catechists, the pope made clear that the Second Vatican Council is
part of church teaching, saying, “If you do not follow the council
or you interpret it in your own way, as you wish, you are not with
the church.” Over 50 years after Vatican II, why is its legacy
still up for debate? Next, Pope Francis has declared the fourth
Sunday of July (the feasts of Sts. Joachim and Anne) the World Day
of Grandparents and the Elderly. We discuss what the coronavirus
pandemic has revealed about the treatment of the elderly in our
society—and what lessons the pope wants us to take forward. This
episode of Jesuitical is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus.
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all that plus bonus content from Jesuitical, become a member of our
Patreon community. Links from the show Pope Francis: Vatican II
must be taught as part of church teaching, or ‘you are not with the
church’ Pope Francis establishes World Day of Grandparents and the
Elderly God’s voice or mine? 7 tips on what to listen to in prayer
Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone, by James Martin, S.J.
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