Pocket Guide to Prayer helps the faithful know, love, and serve the Lord by fostering a relationship with him through prayer.
Created with Catholics in mind, Ascension has added its sixth book to the beloved Pocket Guide collection: Pocket Guide to Prayer, a book for Catholics looking to develop a habit of prayer and build a deeper relationship with God.
Written by nationally recognized Catholic speakers and authors Dr. Edward and Beth Sri, with contributions from Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, Pocket Guide to Prayer helps Catholics eliminate confusion and implement prayer into their daily life.
Dr. Sri explains the vision for Pocket Guide to Prayer: “Lay people can be holy and have a deep personal prayer life, but many of us don’t know where to start. We wrote this book to help people experience prayer as a relationship, not just something we do. No matter what your state in life, we hope this book will help you go deeper in prayer, help you overcome struggles and distractions, and make prayer an intimate conversation with God.”
Featuring personal anecdotes and practical tips, Pocket Guide to Prayer guides Catholics on getting started with prayer, understanding meditation and contemplation, responding to distractions, dryness, and other common struggles without discouragement, and shaping their lives around a habit of prayer. Along with explanations of many popular devotions, this compact guide also features a beautiful leatherlike cover and a ribbon for place holding.
Beth Sri adds: “We designed Pocket Guide to Prayer to be an ‘on-ramp’ to understanding the tools that the Church has given us—the many different types of prayer—to get to know our Lord in relationship. Becoming familiar with these tools will not only lead to greater confidence in approaching Jesus, but will also help us to realize that he desires to have a deep intimacy with each of us, right where we are.”
This book makes a perfect addition to the beloved Pocket Guide collection:
- Pocket Guide to the Rosary (Matt Fradd)
- Pocket Guide to Adoration (Fr. Josh Johnson)
- Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. Josh Johnson)
- Pocket Guide to Novenas (John-Paul and Annie Deddens)
- Pocket Guide to the Stations of the Cross (Dr. Edward Sri)
Pocket Guide to Prayer is available at www.AscensionPress.com.
About the Authors
Dr. Edward Sri is a theologian, well-known Catholic speaker, and author of several best-selling books. His work with Ascension includes The Good, the Messy, and the Beautiful: The Joys and Struggles of Real Married Life, which he co-wrote with his wife, Beth, and study programs such as A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ’s Passion, and Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.
Dr. Sri is the host of the acclaimed Ascension podcast All Things Catholic. Together with Curtis Martin, Dr. Sri is a founding leader of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), of which he serves as senior vice president of Apostolic Outreach.
A graduate of Benedictine College, Beth Sri was among the first FOCUS missionaries in the country. Today, in addition to raising eight children with her husband, Edward, Beth continues to lead and invest in those around her. You will often find her encouraging women who are living the call to marriage and motherhood through mentorship, small-group gatherings, and retreats.
Beth is a contributor to The Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers and a presenter in the acclaimed film series Beloved: Finding Happiness in Marriage. She speaks at conferences on the topics of healing, spirituality, marriage, and motherhood, as well as helping to lead retreats for the Life-Giving Wounds ministry for adult children of divorce, for which she also serves on the board of directors.
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames is the Director of Communications and the Director of Priestly Studies of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR). The primary mission of the CFR community is a wholehearted embracing of Jesus Christ and their Holy Father, St. Francis of Assisi. Through their commitment to prayer and contemplation, the study of Sacred Scripture, fidelity to the Church and the sacraments, their fraternal life, and their generous service to others, especially the poor, the CFRs receive the nourishment necessary to live out their lives as sons of St. Francis in the Capuchin tradition.
Fr. Mark-Mary is the host of the Ascension Presents video series The CFRs. He was also the executive producer of the Poco a Poco music album featuring Fr. Isaiah, CFR, and is the author of Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress.
His favorite work, however, is not nearly as public. Near and dear to Fr. Mark-Mary’s heart is his work walking one-on-one with the suffering, hearing confessions, and offering service as a regular chaplain to the Sisters of Life formation convents.
Praise for Pocket Guide to Prayer
“Pocket Guide to Prayer is an easy-to-read introduction to the spiritual life. This informative and practical resource will both inspire and encourage the reader to cultivate a deeper relationship with God through daily prayer.”
–Fr. Josh Johnson
Director of Vocations, Pastor, author & host of the Ask Fr. Josh Podcast
“A lot of believers worry that we’re missing out on something essential to spiritual growth. Whether it’s a teaching we haven’t heard of or a practice we haven’t incorporated, many of us suspect that we don’t know what we don’t know and that our life is somehow less holy than it could be. If you’ve thought along these lines at any point, this book is for you. Pocket Guide to Prayer is a beautiful introduction to the Church’s life of prayer. It provides that reader with the basics of Catholic teaching and the range of Catholic practices. It’s a must read for anyone wanting to lay a firm foundation.”
–Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.
Nationally recognized Catholic speaker and host of the Catholic Classics Podcast
“The Sris have long been sharing the Gospel with people and leading them into the heart of Christ. But one of the most crucial aspects of conversion and lifelong discipleship is entering deeply into the habit and mystery of prayer—without which our apostolic efforts quickly dry up. This book answers that challenge, drawing the reader into the gift and practice of prayer, offering tools to overcome dryness and the most common obstacles to prayer, such as our apparent lack of time. Read this book and take your prayer to a new level!”
–Andrew and Sarah Swafford
National speakers and authors of Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships
About Ascension
Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of more than 10 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and Ascension Presents, which hosts one of the largest Catholic YouTube channels in English.
Media Contact
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