Prayer
Saint of the Day
Short Daily Meditation
‘How to Get that Halo’
It can be really hard returned home after a spiritual high at Castlerigg with all your friends, where prayer in the chapel was so easy! The challenge now is to live what you’ve learnt at Castlerigg in your daily life: there is the challenge of being a disciple in every age. The best way to do this is to pray - talking to God and listening to Him respond to us. There are many ways that we can pray. This page will help you find some practical ways to pray.
The Scriptures: Word of Life.
Ever wondered what the Bible is really saying in 788,280 words?! This video the Thread explains it in just 3 minutes!
Keep a Bible by your bed and try reading a bit each day. Remember it’s not how much you read but the person you discover through it. The Bible is God’s written way of talking to us. You can dip into it or follow the Mass readings for the day. Click here for the Daily Mass readings, which you can read online or look up in your Bible. The whole world will be reading those readings each day, so you will be reading them with every Catholic church out there! Click here to download podcasts that explain each Sunday’s Mass readings. You might like to check out the Book of Psalms in the Bible – a collection of songs or prayers that cover many subjects and reflect every human experience: depression, celebration, defeat, victory, hope and despair. Some give thanks to God, some express sadness, some praise God. You may know a very famous one: “The Lord is my Shepherd”. They were written approximately 3000 years ago and have been used ever since throughout history to praise and worship God. Jesus himself would have known them well. For some modern day versions of the psalms, sung, try ‘the Sons of Korah‘ or look at Psalm 3, Sons of Korah (Video). If you’re stuck in a rut and need some new ways to pray, try this ancient and beautiful way of praying with the Bible: Lectio Divina.
Pentecost
We’re in Eastertide, and that means Pentecost isn’t too far away! Get yourself clued up for this 
extraordinary celebration with this video Read some of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, this is the book that tells us of the marvellous deeds of the the Apostles. After you’ve left Castlerigg, don’t be afraid to tell others about what you’ve learnt and spread the good news just like the apostles did!
Daily Prayer: food for the soul
We can pray any where, any time, any place. Try this website for daily prayer downloads for your ipod to help you pray as you go. Do you need some inspiration to pray? Try watching this video on: The Power of Prayer. And why would anyone do this?! Amazing dedication to the Our Father. ‘Follow’ the Life of Christ through Twitter. You might like to download these Podcasts for Prayer. You can also try out the new Middlesbrough YouCast for inspiration.
Or, sometimes the best times to pray is just when you’re going to school or college, that 15mins on the bus or walking can be a time to reflect, and make it less hectic!
The Rosary
Maybe you made a set of rosary beads whilst at Castlerigg, or bought a set of them from the shop. These aren’t just fashion items, but a way of journeying into the heart of our faith with Mary our Mother. It’s our way of walking through the life of Jesus with Mary. Here are several different links to help you get started with the Rosary. Have an iPhone? Download the Rosary app and pray on the go. A step-by-step guide with all the prayers included. A video to go with the guide Already know the Rosary but struggle to pray it? Try this for some inspiration!
Divine Mercy
This is a very s
imple prayer that is said using Rosary Beads. It was shown to Saint Faustina in vision where God asked her to spread the message of God’s mercy throughout the world in the image of divine mercy and the chaplet of divine mercy. It’s a very loving prayer to do as you pray not only for mercy for yourself but also for our brothers and sisters around the world, sharing in God’s desire to lavish mercy upon us all. Click the links to find out more about them. If you have an iPhone or an iPad, click this link to download a free app that tells you everything about it.
Help from above: the Saints and Angels
Find out more about your Guardian Angel and learn how to pray to them. Here are 30 ways to get to know the Saints. Click here for St Michael Prayer Desktop Wallpaper
Music
Music can be a great way of helping us to pray and to get in the mood to pray. Here are some recommendations: Matt Maher, Shawn McDonald, Tim Hughes, Josh Groban, Meredith Andrews, Phil Wickham, Ludovico Einaudi, Chris Tomlin, The Priests, Adam Young (OWLCITY), Casting Crowns, Lifehouse, Jewel.