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| 476. Why do we pray? | We pray : First; to adore God; expressing to Him our love and loyalty; Second; to thank Him for His favors;Third; to obtain from Him the pardon of our sins and the remission of their punishment; Fourth; to ask for graces and blessings for ourselves and others. |
| 477. How should we pray? | We should pray: First; with attention; Second; with a conviction of our own helplessness and our dependence upon God;Third; with a great desire for the graces we beg of Him; Fourth; with loving trust in His goodness; Fifth; with perseverance. |
| 478. For whom should we pray? | We should pray especially for ourselves; for our parents; relatives; friends; and enemies; for sinners; for the souls in purgatory; for the Pope; bishops; and priests of the Church; and for the officials of our country. |
| 479. How do we know that God always hears our prayers if we pray properly? | We know that God always hears our prayers if we pray properly because Our Lord has promised: If you ask the Father anything in My name; He will give it to you.' |
| 480. Why do we not always obtain what we pray for? | We do not always obtain what we pray for; either because we have not prayed properly or because God sees that what we are asking would not be for our good. |
| 481. Are distractions in our prayers always displeasing to God? | Distractions in our prayers are not displeasing to God; unless they are willful. |
| 482. How many kinds of prayer are there? | There are two kinds of prayer: mental prayer and vocal prayer. |
| 483. What is mental prayer? | Mental prayer is that prayer by which we unit our hearts with God while thinking of His holy truths. |
| 484. What is vocal prayer? | Vocal prayer is that prayer which comes from the mind and heart and is spoken by the lips. |
| 485. May we use our own word in praying to God? | We may use our own words in praying to God; and it is well to do so often. |
| 486. What are the prayers that every Catholic should know by heart? | The prayers that every Catholic should know by heart are: the Our Father; the Hail Mary; the Apostles Creed; the Confiteor; the Glory be to the Father; and the acts of faith; hope; charity; and contrition. |
| 487. How do we usually begin and end our prayers? | We usually begin and end our prayers with the sign of the cross? |
| 488. Why do we make the sign of the cross? | We make the sign of the cross to express two important mysteries of the Christian religion; the Blessed Trinity and the Redemption. |
| 489. How are these mysteries expressed by the sign of the cross? | When we say In the name;' we express the truth that there is only one God; when we say of the Father; and of the Son; and of the Holy Spirit;' we express the truth that there are three distinct Persons in god; and when we make the form of the cross on ourselves; we express the truth that the Son of God; made man; redeemed us by His death on the cross. |
| 490. Why is the Our Father the best of all prayers? | The Our Father is the best of all prayers because it is the Lords Prayer; taught us by Jesus Christ Himself; and because it is a prayer of perfect and unselfish love. |
