Father. In a recent answer regarding examination of conscience, you wrote about the necessity of prayer;

"...this means that a life of honest prayer is key to the formation of a sound and correctly informed conscience." "...a contiuning conversation with him. And the deeper that conversation gets, the more you will see anything that gets in the way of that conversation as nothing but rubbish." "...ask the Lord in prayer, in that continuing conversation, how best to perform those works of mercy."

Father, PLEASE describe the kind of prayer that you are referring to. Our standard way of praying is for us to speak. There is nothing about 'conversation', or a listening to the Holy Spirit. You (and others) say how vitally important it is that we 'pray', but the reference seems to be two-way conversation with the Holy Spirit. However, there has not been a a how-to description of this type of prayer.

In summary, there seems to be reference to prayer as a vitally important action for our spiritual development; HOWEVER, we are not told HOW to accomplish this two-way conversation with the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we are told to read a four-hundred page book, which seems to be a vast overkill on the subject.

Just a simple few steps, such as. Do this. Second, do that. Third, do these things for xx minutes. Thank you. Don

I cannot give you a three step explanation about how to pray any more than I can give a three-step explanation to husband and wife about how to love and communicate with each other. Each married couple is unique. And your personal relationship with God is unique in the universe. What I can tell you is that prayer always comes from a humble heart, which is a heart that is honest. I have found Part 4 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church extremely helpful for my personal relationship with God. Maybe you will too.

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