2/6/2022

Catholics have two tiers of prayer: devotional and liturgical. They are not totally inseparable, but at least in the beginning of one’s prayer life, they seem to be very different. Devotional prayer is subjective, and as such is adaptable to individual circumstances, needs, and desires. It is usually prayed alone, or with others who like that particular type of prayer. It aims to develop one’s personal relationship to the Lord. Examples of devotional prayer would be the Rosary, novenas, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and Lectio Divina.
Liturgical prayer is the public worship of God by the Church (= the Body of Christ). It is more objective, and so less adaptable. It is often led by an ordained minister and done in community. It is more formal (at least until one memorizes and interiorizes the prayers), has a given structure, words, and rubrics (read the black, do the red, as they say I am not at liberty to make up my own Eucharistic Prayer or even to ad lib the prayers which we are given, as they are the best of our Tradition and theologically exemplary). The aim of liturgical prayer is to unite the faithful with their various devotional prayer lives into one, and then go to the Father as the Body of Christ. The primary examples of Liturgical prayer are the celebration of Mass and the sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Hours. In these prayers, we are at ONE not only with others in the Body of Christ, but also with our ancestors in the faith, the whole Body of Christ.
Liturgical prayer and devotional prayer are meant to work together to lift our minds and hearts to God, which is what prayer does. One should choose a devotional prayer which feeds his/her soul, which is enjoyable, which one can do easily. This type of prayer enables us to “pray constantly” as Paul invites us to do. When we find ourselves without texts or without a prayer book, for example, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the Rosary is very useful way to feed our souls. But if two people who do not have a common devotional life come together to pray, then liturgical prayer is an objective, theologically well thought out way of praying which transcends and unites the various private devotional lives into one body, the Body of Christ, and takes them to the Father. There is no greater prayer than the Eucharist, which offers our sacrifices along with the sacrifice of Christ to the Father. Yet it takes a while to learn the scriptures and the meaning of the actions and prayers of the Mass in order to truly appreciate it and enter into it deeply. It is enough to know, for the time being, that the Lord to whom you are attached through your devotional prayer life, is made present in the Mass, and bring that relationship into the celebration until you make more connections and understand better. When you do, it becomes a marvelous experience of the unity of the Body of Christ.
In the time after Vatican II, liturgical prayer was emphasized over devotional prayer, to the detriment of the personal piety and prayer lives of the faithful. As usual in Catholicism, BOTH have a place, a role, in the balanced spiritual life of a disciple of Christ.
Having described briefly these two kinds of prayer I am ready to discuss the final question about whether the Rosary worships Mary. But that will have to wait until next week.
If you have enjoyed these explanations of our Catholic belief, please submit questions you may have to the office or to me. I think that it is important to be able to articulate what we believe, not in condemnation of anyone else, but to affirm who we are and what we believe and why.
It is a joy to be your pastor!

Father Albert, O.S.B.