Season 2, Episode 20 - The Catholic Files Topic: Praying Under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Season 2, Episode 20 - The Catholic Files Topic: Praying Under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit with Father Donnelly, Immaculate Conception Church, Madison, Ohio

Prayer is not merely our words reaching toward God - it is first God drawing our hearts toward Himself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that "the Holy Spirit is the master of prayer" (CCC 741). In this episode of The Catholic Files, Father Donnelly invites us to rediscover prayer as a sacred encounter guided and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

Too often we struggle with prayer, unsure of what to say or how to begin. Yet the Church teaches that even in our weakness, the Spirit prays within us, shaping our desires according to the will of the Father. When we pray under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our prayer becomes more than routine it becomes a living relationship rooted in trust, humility, and surrender.

Father Donnelly reflects on how the Holy Spirit leads us to Christ, unites us to the Church, and forms our hearts to listen before speaking. Guided by the Spirit, prayer opens us to conversion, strengthens us in times of trial, and teaches us to pray not only with words, but with our lives.

As we grow in attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, our prayer deepens, our faith matures, and our hearts become more receptive to God's grace. This episode encourages us to slow down, invoke the Holy Spirit, and allow God Himself to teach us how to pray.

Come, Holy Spirit guide our hearts, shape our prayers, and draw us ever closer to Christ.

Thank you for listening and walking this journey of faith with us. If you would like to explore more episodes of The Catholic Files, please visit www.iccmadison.com

And if you are unable to attend Mass in person, you are warmly invited to join us for Daily Mass online by searching @iccmadison on YouTube. May this episode draw you closer to Christ and inspire you to make prayer the heart of your daily life.