1. The Church & Prayer

2. Think-Pair-Share
With your elbow partner, discuss the following questions and jot down your ideas. Be prepared to share.
What is prayer?
Why do people pray?
What are some different types of prayer?
Why does prayer sometimes lead to frustration?

3. What is Prayer?
Prayer is an expression of faith that allows us to communicate with God. It is a wholehearted faith response to God.
Formal Prayers are based on traditions and teachings
ie- Apostles Creed, Our Father, & Hail Mary
Informal Prayers are based on experiences and moments in our life
ie – praying before a test, or taking a moment to pray at this time.

4. The Most Important Catholic Prayers
The two most important prayers that Catholics recite are the Apostles’ Creed and The Nicene Creed.
Creed means “I believe.”
The Catholic creeds express the traditions and beliefs that are at the heart of the faith.

5. Here are 5 of the most common reasons why people pray

6. Q: When you recite a creed, are you being real or are you being a robot?

7. Activity:
In a small group of about 3-4 people, identify the beliefs and traditions that are expressed in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. Please write down your ideas and be prepared to share.

8. The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ,  his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again
from the dead;

9. The Apostles Creed
he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

10. The Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
    maker of heaven and earth,
    of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
        the Only Begotten Son of God,
        born of the Father before all ages.
    God from God, Light from Light,
        true God from true God,
    begotten, not made, consubstantial
       with the Father;

11. The Nicene Creed Through him all things were made.
    For us men and for our salvation
        he came down from heaven,
        and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate
        of the Virgin Mary,
        and became man.

12. The Nicene Creed For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
     he suffered death and was buried,
        and rose again on the third day
        in accordance with the Scriptures.
    He ascended into heaven
     and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    He will come again in glory
        to judge the living and the dead
        and his kingdom will have no end.

13. The Nicene Creed I believe in the Holy Spirit,
        the Lord, the giver of life,
    who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
    who with the Father and the Son
        is adored and glorified,
        who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic,
     and apostolic Church.
    I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins
        and I look forward to the resurrection
    of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

14. Key Terms
Consubstantial: The Son of God and God the Father are of the same substance, one God.
Incarnation: The belief that God sent his only Son to earth to live among us as both 100% human and 100% divine.
Monotheism: The belief in one God.

15. Textbook Work:
Using the textbook, Celebrating Sacraments, complete the following:
Define the 3 paths to God: vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation using p

16. What would you do …
Imagine that you are in a restaurant enjoying a meal with a friend. While you are eating, you notice a family praying before eating their meal. As the family prays, an atheist woman begins to criticize the family. She demands that they stop praying. She says that praying is a private matter that doesn’t belong in public places.
What would you do? Would you defend the family or would you support the atheist woman?

17. Let’s watch this scenario play out …