Page:Catechismoftrent.djvu/323



AMONGST the duties of the pastoral office, it is one of the highest importance to the spiritual interests of the faithful, to instruct them in Christian prayer; the nature and efficacy of which must be unknown to many, if not enforced by the pious and faithful exhortations of the pastor. To this, therefore, should the care of the pastor be directed in a special manner, that the faithful may understand how and for what they are to pray.

Whatever is necessary to the performance of the duty of prayer is comprised in that divine form, which Christ our Lord vouchsafed to make known to his Apostles, and, through them and their successors, to all Christians. The sentiments which it expresses, and the words in which they are conceived, should, therefore, be so deeply impressed on the mind and memory, as to enable us to address it to God promptly and at all times. To assist the pastor, however, in teaching the faithful to pray, we have selected and set down from those writers, whose reputation for talents and learning on this head commands the highest respect, whatever appeared to us most instructive on the subject, leaving it to the pastor to draw upon the same source for further information, should he deem it necessary.

In the first place, then, the pastor is to teach the necessity of prayer; a duty not only recommended by way of counsel, but of also enforced by positive precept. Our Lord himself has said: " We should pray always;" and this necessity of prayer the Church declares in the prelude, if we may so call it, prefixed to the Lord's prayer in her liturgy: " Admonished by salutary