While meditation and mental prayer are important, we shouldn't discount vocal prayer, our first prayer.
While Pope Francis often warns against praying like a "parrot," the pope on April 21 emphasized that vocal prayer is important, and for a specific reason: It is the type of prayer that is "the surest, and can always be practiced."
In contrast, he said, feelings in prayer, "are always uncertain: they come and go."
Further, the Holy Father noted, "Words are born from feelings, but there is also the reverse path, whereby words shape feelings."
The pope was continuing his catechesis series on prayer, which has led him to speak about prayer with the Church, prayer with the saints, and other topics.
Francis said that we can't dismiss vocal prayer
Read the full text of the pope's reflection here.
