Whether praying in the Franciscan, Augustinian, Dominican or Ignatian traditions, all prayer is about union with God, Msgr. Zenz says

CANTON — Whether one grew up before the Second Vatican Council or after, everyone who seeks to follow Jesus and undertake a relationship with him is on a similar path, Msgr. John Zenz said. 

“Prayer is about trying to be in communion with the Lord as He is. … Anytime I pray, I am never praying alone,” Msgr. Zenz said. “I may feel alone in my tears, disappointment and sorrow, but I am part of a praying body of Christ through the world and beyond the world as we know it.”

Msgr. Zenz, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Birmingham, spoke to roomful of people Oct. 12 at St. John Neumann Parish in Canton during a daylong retreat titled Discovering Your Personal Prayer Style. During his keynote address, Msgr. Zenz offered a brief overview of the four different styles of prayer, using various saints as examples.

God takes the initiative to inspire us, regardless of our prayer type, Msgr. Zenz said. Although we might think that we decided to get up early and pray, we have to give God credit, he added.

“We could do nothing if God didn't give us the health, the desire and the ambiance or circumstances to be able to pray. Our role in the first instance is to be alert to God, aware of God and open to God,” Msgr. Zenz said. “We should take whatever the emotion or the little inspiration we get and run with it. … Trust that God is inviting you to pray a particular way — that may be different today than yesterday — and try to be with the Lord.”

Depending on one's personality and temperament, Catholics might find any one of the four prayer styles beneficial, Msgr. Zenz said. 

The Franciscan style of prayer is sensory — and feeling-oriented. One might be sensitive to emotions, to the feeling of pain and the joy of others. The Franciscan, Msgr. Zenz said, embraces everything — especially the marginal — has a sense of being a humble servant, prays the experience and is sensitive to that raw and rough, sweet and soft. A Franciscan appreciates all the different moments and has joy in hospitality.

The Augustinian searches for meaning and a calling, he added. They are drawn by beauty and dreams of possibilities. Augustinians are eager to share, have a sense of perfectionism and are on a path of constant conversion.

“They model for us the ability we have to grow, change and purify our love,” Msgr. Zenz said.

The Dominican style of prayer — which takes inspiration from St. Thomas Aquinas — searches for truth. Dominicans tend to take the concreteness of the Scriptures and yearn to study the background and circumstances. They want to understand nature and how humans fit in it. Prayer is thought-based as opposed to feeling-based.

The Ignatian style of prayer focuses on the “when and where,” Msgr. Zenz said. Those who practice Ignatian spirituality move toward commitment and have a desire to make a difference and work for social justice. The Ignatian prayer style enters into the mind and heart of Christ and thinks with the whole Church, he said.

Prayer styles are not necessarily “one size fits all,” and some may be a mix, Msgr. Zenz said.

“Try to be attentive to the subtle way that God is trying to work with you,” he said. “Prayer is about openness, not having an agenda and wanting to deal with the reality of who I am before God.”

There is not just one way to be a holy person or to be an instrument of God; each person is different, Msgr. Zenz said.

All prayer — whether one's prayer temperament follows the Ignatian, Dominican, Franciscan or Augustinian traditions — should have consistency in time and place, Msgr. Zenz said. The opening dialogue with God can be about accepting the situation, “consecrating” all to the Lord and asking for a particular grace. Then, quiet time and contemplation.

Some might start with reflecting on scriptural text or formal prayer to get to the stage of contemplation, he said. Some may use Lectio Divina and its four steps — read, think, pray and contemplate. Often, there might be a resolution to the prayer before ending with a closing prayer.

“We need to remember we want to have some quiet, contemplative communion with the Lord,” Msgr. Zenz said. “That is usually without words or thoughts. The goal in any [spiritual] temperament is to be with the Lord for some quality time. It might only last for a minute or two, but that time is precious.”

When zeroing in on a prayer type, it’s important to remember one is praying in, with and for the community, Msgr. Zenz said. Catholics should also be conscious of the fact that they are not alone in our prayer; Christ is praying with us and for us, he explained.