Catholic priest pens book that delves into how to pray and why it matters
James Martin, a Jesuit priest, has written a new book about the power and importance of prayer. Wikipedia Commons photo.
NEW YORK — The Rev. James Martin wants to teach Americans the power of prayer.
Martin, one of the most famous Catholic priests in this country, has written a new book, Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone, that focuses on helping Christians understand what it takes to have a relationship with God.
The book comes at a time when prayer is essential, many people of faith believe, because of the ongoing pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands around the world and the inability to attend services in person. For Catholics, not able to attend Mass and receive the Eucharist has been particularly difficult.
“I think sometimes praying the prayers and readings of the Mass [while at home] … that can help you feel connected on a Sunday,” Martin said Tuesday during an hour-long Facebook Live to promote book’s launch.
Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor-at-large at America magazine, fielded questions from viewers, many stuck at home because of the pandemic and the massive snowstorm that hit the Northeast earlier this week.
“I think it’s OK to pray for something that you want. So if you want to be healed from something, it’s fine and, in fact, it’s advisable to pray for that,” Martin said. “Because that’s part of being in an honest relationship with God. Like the [COVID-19] vaccine is a perfect example. We pray for a vaccine to be effective and we pray for the coronavirus to dissipate. If you don’t pray for that, I think it sets up a bit of a block between you and God because you are almost holding back.”
Martin has been a controversial figure within Catholicism in recent years. He first became involved in LGBTQ+ issues following the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting. At the time, Martin bemoaned “that more Catholic leaders did not offer support to the LGBT community” in the shootings aftermath.
As a result, he put together a series of lectures on how the church could better minister to gay Catholics, which led to his 2017 book, Building a Bridge. The book, however, received criticism from conservative Catholics. Cardinal Robert Sarah called Martin “one of the most outspoken critics of the church’s message with regard to sexuality.”
Despite the criticism, Pope Francis appointed Martin as a consultant to the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications in 2017. The pope has said he endorses civil unions for gay couples, a comment the Vatican said last year had been taken out of context. The pope’s comments made headlines because the Holy See’s doctrine office issued a document in 2003 prohibiting such an endorsement.
The book comes at a time when other Catholic clergy are finding an audience through prayer. Mike Schmitz, a priest who serves as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the Diocese of Duluth, Minn., has a podcast called The Bible in a Year. It has become one of the most popular daily podcasts of 2021 so far.
A Pew Research Study found that 55 percent of Americans pray each day, putting the United States ahead of most Western nations when it comes to the practice. Pew found that Jehovah’s Witnesses pray the most each day, followed by Mormons. Catholics only ranked sixth in that survey.
Martin called prayer “a relationship that happens with God.”
“That desire is how God calls us,” he said of people who show a curiosity to want to pray.
He also said that prayer takes work.
“Any close relationship goes through ups and downs,” Martin added.
As for Catholics who pray the rosary, Martin recommended pacing oneself and slowing down when reciting the Our Father or Hail Mary over and over.
“How not to keep it from going rote? It’s hard because it’s the same prayers over and over again,” he added. “Sometimes, it’s easier to go slower.”
The book, Martin said, is for people who already pray each day and those interested in getting started.
“You’re missing out on a significant part of your life,” he said. “It’s like missing out on another dimension.”
Clemente Lisi is a senior editor and regular contributor to Religion Unplugged. He is the former deputy head of news at the New York Daily News and teaches journalism at The King’s College in New York City. Follow him on Twitter @ClementeLisi.