Pope Benedict XVI described Mental Prayer as "an ordinary means that enables the disciple of Jesus to live in intimacy with the divine Teacher." (General Audience, 9 February 2011)
Ven. Pius XII said that "how highly all should esteem mental prayer is proved not only be ecclesiastical documents, but also by the custom and practice of the saints." (Mystici Corporis Christi)
Further, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples tells us that "mental prayer, in an attitude of listening, of prayer and of response, is the most elevated form of confrontation between the Word and one's own life."
This form of prayer, complementing the "vocal prayers" found in the Church's liturgies and devotions, occupies a pivotal position in the Church's teachings on what is essential for her children.
Yet, most of us are ignorant of the various steps and acts most conducive to making this prayer well.
Authored by an anonymous Jesuit priest in the 19th century, this guide aims to address this gap by methodically-yet simply-outlining the process as taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola to his sons.