Contributor: Barbara Dellanno
Everyone’s response to God’s call to holiness is personal and unique. You may find the following resources helpful.
Daily Prayer and Spiritual Reflection~Online Resources
Everyone’s response to God’s call to holiness is personal and unique. You may find the following resources helpful.
This site provided by the Irish Jesuits invites us to make a “Sacred Space” in our day for 5-10 minutes, praying with the help of a reading from Scripture and online guidance.
American Catholic
This site’s Daily Features include the Saint of the Day, Minute Meditations, a Daily Catholic Question, and Top Catholic News. These resources are also available through e-newsletters and on Twitter @AmericanCatholic.
Daily Prayer Online
Questions for Response/Comments:
1. What do you think of the resources available on these sites?
2. How can you use these resources on your own faith journey?
American Catholic
This site’s Daily Features include the Saint of the Day, Minute Meditations, a Daily Catholic Question, and Top Catholic News. These resources are also available through e-newsletters and on Twitter @AmericanCatholic.
Daily Prayer Online
Questions for Response/Comments:
1. What do you think of the resources available on these sites?
2. How can you use these resources on your own faith journey?
I am looking for new resources for daily class prayer. I like the minute meditations on American Catholic, and I just followed them on Twitter. I also like the daily thought and prayer toons on Daily Prayer Online. I plan to use the prayer toon with my RA class in lieu of intentions which are not always taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard with RA classes to get them to take things seriously - so groups are able to and some just can't (which I guess we should be grateful for that they are so happy and get so much joy out of life). I think your modified approach is an excellent one!
DeleteI also found the prayer toons to be quite unique. I think we could make them a little more serious or more religious, and then encourage the students to prepare some prayer toons to be hung around the building. This would really showcase UC's faith-based environment.
DeleteWhere are the prayer toons? I don't see it.
DeleteI, too, like the minute meditations, Kathy. They are brief enough to be followed by a moment of hopefully thoughtful silence during which students can even make their intentions (serious or otherwise) in silence. One way of eliciting serious intentions, perhaps, is to start them off with an appropriate one of our own, which need not be personal but about some prayer-worthy event from the news.
DeleteI thought the resources available on American Catholic were excellent for my classes. I try and highlight a saint of the day and relate their life to the student's life. It's not always easy to find a saint they can relate to. The movie section was also helpful in finding movies relevant to my class. The website also gave me access to several articles on grief for my death and dying class.
ReplyDeleteI was happy to find resources for personal prayer as well as ideas for classroom prayer experiences. Like you, Kathy, I try to follow the Church calendar and make the students aware of the saints and our call to sanctity.
DeleteI think it's so great that you try to switch up your prayers each day, Kathy & Kathy. Keeps things interesting & it may just be something the students need to hear that day. I also like the way Sacred Space describes the season of Lent as a springtime - cool resources.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Irish Jesuits site it excellent - it is simple and plain - the design of the site itself is immediately relaxing. I also find that taking special intentions is a really important thing to do - yes, sometimes the kids pray for silly things, or they pray for each other over and over, but its so important to let they even attempt to think about someone other than themselves.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Mare - even though intentions can sometimes be repeated over and over with our students, I also think it's a nice way for students to remember their community. It's also a way to be mindful of others - students will pray for their relatives, and kids will ask later in the week how they're doing.
DeleteI agree about intentions. I really like that insight into what's on my students' minds as well!
DeleteI really like the Irish Jesuit site too. I have asked students to take the lead in class prayer and even if there is an initial interest it fades. I like the idea of using these sites to mix it up a bit. The intentions part of our prayer in class seems to be the most important. I like the use of technology in prayer too...maybe that would appeal to some.
DeleteI definitely agree with you all about the importance of having students share their intentions at the start of class. Because one year I had some students who did not take it seriously, I stopped doing special intentions for a short time. Now, I would never consider leaving out special intentions again. I like having the insight of what students are thinking and also learning a little bit more about what is going on in their lives. Including special intentions gives a teacher insight as to what the students’ concerns are as well. And while I wouldn't want another student to feel left out if certain students were just praying for their friends, I have found that it is a great way for freshmen for a day to feel included in the prayer. Because we pray the Hail Mary in Spanish in my class, some of the students who visit who do not take Spanish in their grammar school are still thus more involved in the prayer because their freshman guides always pray for them and that they have a nice day at UC. I also agree that it is a great way to be mindful of others, and people show their care by asking about the intentions of others.
DeleteI found these resources to be quite valuable, particularly to use with my TA class, Topics in Education, in which the entire course is conducted online. Several years ago I was searching for ways to implement a faith-based component to keep the online course consistent with UC's faith-based mission. Currently I utilize an online "prayer board" where students can post special intentions and I have also included video clips, such as the "Interview with God." (www.theinterviewwithgod.com). These additional resources will be a great spring board for me to incorporate some new ideas, like encouraging students to review a daily prayer or focus on the Saint of the Day. On a different note, I thought it was very helpful in light of our International students, that the Sacred Space website is available in several different languages. I know we want/need to encourage the students to be proficient in English, but from my conversations with the International students, very often, vocabulary pertaining to religion is the most difficult to grasp, simply because many of the students were not exposed to Catholicism in their native language, so not only is it unfamiliar vocabulary, it is also an unfamiliar concept. Perhaps the language options available would help the students feel more comfortable with the prayers and gain a deeper understanding of UC's faith-based mission.
ReplyDeleteMeg,
DeleteI totally agree with you about the Sacred Space website being available in several languages. Many times the international students use their translators in the classroom because they are unfamiliar with common Catholic language. I would totally guide them to this website to help grasp the Gospel readings.
Meg, I love that idea for the international students!! I will definitely encourage them to utilize this website.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI loved the "Daily Prayer Online" website, and their inclusion of a "sacred space." The quote "come away with me...let us go to a quiet place and rest for a while" is definitely pertinent to our busy lives today. Students often have so many activities occurring in their everyday that prayer is the one time that they can sit and quietly meditate. This site reinforces the fact that prayer does not always have to be the prayers we've known since we were young; they could be quiet reflections in a journal in response to a quote from the Bible or listening to a song without immediately discussing it with other classmates. Right now I am teaching Of Mice and Men with my English 1R, and I could easily relate the Biblical idea of helping a friend to themes within the text.
ReplyDeleteThough I often recite the "Hail Mary" with my students and ask for intentions, I liked the daily options for prayer on the Jesuits site. I think more of those prayers could be used in my daily lessons. By introducing a new prayer or thought, students could reflect more on its relevance to them, and take that lesson with them throughout the day.
I love the prayer toons. I remember so vividly being in Al Wright's classes in high school, and he used humor to teach faith every day. I never had the sense that the underlying message was not taken seriously; however, the humor helped us relate to the message as teens. I can stand on my chair and sing the "1 John 1:9" song to this day.
ReplyDeleteI love "Sacred Space" it is personal and students can reflect on their own thoughts. I really love how you can change the languages. I am going to use this in class and even in my club period. I will put it up on the board and change the language to Portuguese. I am excited to see how this goes!
ReplyDeleteThis is really great how you can change the language! Also it shows you the prayers for the entire week so you can even prepare ahead of time for a better discussion if one prayer is more in depth!
DeleteThanks Barb!
This is so exciting Catarina! :) I agree with you!
DeleteCatarina,
DeleteI like the idea of teaching students about reflecting on their own thoughts. It is something our overly connected world is missing today!
Yes, they are usually more attentive to things when they can relate. I love the idea!
DeleteI really like the "Daily Prayer Online" website. Typically, I start class with either a Hail Mary or an Our Father, but this site provides both daily and weekly prayers, which all have a common theme for that week. This site will allow me to switch it up now and again. I also like the idea of having students getting involved in the prayer, either by having them read the Bible passage or by being the prayer leader for that particular week. Thanks for this blog, Barb!
ReplyDeleteI usually begin the same way Edward. I am looking forward to utilizing this site to get my students involved.
DeleteI am on the same page as both of you. The site offers a new way to incorporate daily prayer in our classes and make it more relevant to the students. As we continue through the season of Lent this will offer the students a better opportunity to reflect and gear up for the Easter celebration.
DeleteI think all of these websites are very useful. I have used American Catholic before for movie reccommendations and articles. Like Kathy Weber, I am now following Scared Space on Twitter for my own personal use and I plan to work the readings into my daily prayers in the classroom. I was always a fan of using guided meditation as a form of prayer and I think students like to break away from the normal, "Does anyone have any special intentions today?" routine. The Prayer Toons section on Daily Prayer Online are lighthearted and fun. I can see myself working them into powerpoints or copy and pasting them on top of quizzes/tests to give the assesment some levity.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Meg...love the fact the site allows the prayer in different languages. How nice to be able to help our international students feel included in our school's mission of faith.
ReplyDeleteI found both of these sites to be very informative. They were full of great resources. The top catholic articles located in American Catholic were very good. I was especially moved by the quote on the Sacred Space home page “When you pray you are not alone. You are part of a global community”. This is a message our students need to hear.
ReplyDeleteI found all of the websites useful. I will probably use the Daily Prayer Online to display the Quiet Space at the beginning of class.
ReplyDeleteI will also use the American Catholic.org for the seasonal section where I can use the Daily Lent Calendar for a meditation for each day.
Sacred Space is an excellent place to start one's day. Like most of us, I find myself doing intentions & the same prayers daily. I always have plans on changing it up and these sites are perfect - particularly American Catholic where we can encourage our students to explore for up-to-date information on our faith. I will definitely use American Catholic in Current Events. The information already provided, as well as prayers for the Pope's transition, will prove invaluable as we journey together through the next few weeks. I needed a place to go to bring my students and encourage them to get excited & interested in this big news. I love the fact that all three of these sites are easy to navigate and get right to the point - at no point was I overwhelmed. I love the idea of opening Sacred Space on my Smart Board at the beginning of every class period and opening my classes with a relevant, meaningful prayer. The "Minute Meditations" is my personal favorite and will be something I use daily on our my own faith journey.
ReplyDeleteThese sites are extremely useful for all of our classes. Lent is the perfect time to start this up and I think the students will enjoy it. I have been using the Magnificat Year of Faith Companion for daily reflections in my classes but sometimes they can be more "adult based." The variety in these sites will help bring more focus and reflection in our daily prayers.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Catholic also offers some great opportunities for discussion on current events and the Catholic faith. With the Pope announcing his resignation last week our students are given the chance to see what the world is talking about.
Great sites! I am looking forward to utilizing them daily.
I found two sections from these sites useful for varying the types of prayers with which I begin my classes. The minute meditations from American Catholic are just that--some food for Christian thought, very brief, easy to follow with a moment of silence. Daily Prayer Online has a section for the secondary level classroom. Although the readings here are more elaborate, including group responses, the opening "leader" statements can serve well as a prayer of the day. These websites can serve as good resources for a variety of learning activities as well, espoecially but not exclusively in religion classes.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so much replying to myself as adding to my post. I took another look at Sacred Space and liked it too. A teacher can have a daily prayer with soothing musical background up and running as students enter the room. As we become quiet, we settle in to both the sounds and the words of the meditation.
DeleteLove the idea of having my students reflect, visually, to one of the daily prayers as a warm up exercise in class. For example, the passage below. Having students imagine the place and then visually express their response.
ReplyDeletePresence of God
At the still point of my turning world,
At the core of my being,
I wait to hear and feel the gentle presence of God
Who calls me to open and let go.
Can I go to that place where God is calling me?
Rebecca,
DeleteThis is genius! I love this idea. Now I am thinking about how I can turn this into a creative writing assignment...
Maybe I can give my students this same passage and have them practice their descriptive writing skills by writing an imagery and adjective filled response to this daily prayer. The assignment may be to first close their eyes and imagine this pace. After they have used their imaginations, they switch to their laptops and describe the place using rich, figurative language in a thought-filled response.
Thank you for the idea!
AWESOME idea, Becky! Can't wait to see those results.
DeleteAfter perusing the American Catholic website, I have come away with a few strategies to incorporate into my classroom. The Daily Prayer Online's "Thought for Today" is a great way to start the class with a thinking prompt. Instead of a content related prompt, Do Now, or Bellwork assignment, I will have the thought of the day posted as the students arrive. My students will have five minutes of writing time at the start of the period to reflect on the thought of the day and discuss the ways in which this this specific thought impacts their lives. Following the writing and discussion, my class will transition into our customary prayer time. I use Let's Begin with Prayer: 130 Prayers for Junior and Senior High Schools ($5 on Amazon!). The prayers in this book are grounded in the Catholic tradition while reflecting the concerns, trials, and successes of high school students. The prayers are broken up by topic which allows for easy navigation as I am trying to assess the classes’ intentions/decide what we should pray for on that day. I am confident that merging the "Thought of the Day" with our daily prayer/Minute Meditation will force students to think about how they fit into the larger community that surrounds them.
ReplyDelete(One more thing!)I just discovered the "Post Prayer Requests" link on the American Catholic website. This might be really interesting to show while we are in prayer and asking for intentions. This is basically an online prayer community in which people post their intentions to an online blog (located under the St. Anthony's prayers link). Again, this forces the students to think about how their prayers have an effect on the larger community in which they live. Praying for people that they do not know may help to build their ability to feel compassion for strangers, as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Sacred Space is a great and quick place for me to use personally as well as with students who need a little encouragement when visiting my office!
ReplyDeleteI found it to be very uplifting to read through several of the Daily Prayers on the “Sacred Space” website. I liked how it was broken down into sections, and I found the “Consciousness” section the most thought-provoking in the sense that it made me identify with what I was truly thinking. I read several of the prayers for this week, and I think that this is an excellent source of reflection. I found it to be very peaceful to meditate on the Scripture passages and the thoughts and questions for reflection. I particularly liked the “Sacred Space” website, although the “Quiet Space” on the “Daily Prayer Online” website was similar in set-up. I also think that the resources on the “American Catholic” website are very helpful. I actually used some of the information from this website for the “Saint of the Day” and the Saint calendar that is available on the site when I was researching saints from Spain or from Latin American countries. Throughout the year every so often, I have been spotlighting one of these Hispanic saints in my Spanish class. One feature I really liked on the “Daily Prayer Online” website was the “Thought for Today”, which today happened to be a quote from Mother Teresa. I also liked how this website had a “Daily Prayer in the Classroom” section that offered ideas for younger students and for high-school age students. These classroom prayers would be great ideas for short prayer services, although this particular resource would probably be too lengthy for a typical classroom prayer. I think that in higher level Spanish courses (I teach Spanish 1, and so writing is just developing), some of the meditations suggested on these websites would be great topics for students to write a short spiritual reflection on in a journal each day. Even more than in the classroom, I find that I could use these resources in my own faith journey. Just today, I feel that my day was enriched by the reflections provided on these websites. I think that some of the smaller tidbits for reflection are treasures that can be incorporated perhaps in lessons for students and in my own words and actions each day. During Lent, we are focusing at UC each day on a specific Lenten challenge. I like how these websites also provide a thought/reflection we could use for each day of the year.
ReplyDelete