The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Day 344: Guides for Prayer (2024)

Dec 9, 2024

Dive into the rich world of prayer and discover how various guides—like family, saints, and priests—shape our spiritual journeys. Explore the powerful intercession within the communion of saints and the unique practices that have emerged throughout church history. Learn about the essential role of prayer in Christian families and how community prayer revitalizes faith. Reflect on the importance of spiritual mentorship and how these relationships deepen our prayer life and growth in holiness.

18:09

Creator website

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The saints serve as intercessors who inspire us to pray and help us to navigate our spiritual journeys through their examples and prayers.

Christian families act as the foundational 'domestic church' where children are introduced to prayer, supported by the guidance of spiritual directors and prayer groups.

Deep dives

The Communion of Saints as Intercessors

The episode emphasizes the vital role of saints in heaven, described as a 'cloud of witnesses' who actively intercede for the faithful on earth. Their primary focus is on contemplating and praising God while caring for those they left behind, which is a fundamental aspect of their spiritual service. An example is shared through St. Therese of Lisieux, who desired to lead many souls to heaven through her intercession after her death. This highlights the belief that the faithful can and should seek the saints' intercession in their spiritual journey and everyday lives.

Intro

3min

The Role of Spiritual Guides in Prayer

2min

The Importance of Prayer and Community in the Christian Life

2min

The Role of Spiritual Mentorship and Communion of Saints in Prayer

10min

We are lifelong learners in the school of prayer. The Church offers various guides to help us grow and cultivate our prayer lives. These include the family, the saints, priests, religious brothers and sisters, prayer groups, spiritual directors, and more. These individuals and communities teach us to pray in different ways and inspire us to persevere in prayer. Fr. Mike invites us to reflect on how God calls us to lead others in the Faith. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2683-2690.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export