• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe

When people ask us to pray

Suzanna Molino Singleton August 7, 2018
By Suzanna Molino Singleton
Filed Under: Blog, Snippets of Faith

I received a text the other day from a friend and fellow St. Leo parishioner, who asked me to pray for her 2-year-old granddaughter, regrettably diagnosed with neuroplastoma, cancer of the adrenal glands.My group of nine high school girlfriends and I have a text chain for communicating simultaneously, usually when one of us needs to ask for prayers for someone we love. This week it was for my friend’s newborn grandson, who is back in the hospital with complications.

On Facebook we often read posts of friends and acquaintances asking for various prayers.

When people specifically ask me to pray, I am honored they recognize my spiritual wellbeing enough to know I will indeed pray for their need. And when I ask people to pray, I do not ask just anyone … I solicit specific friends and family members, those who I know are devout and will assist in the prayer chain – those who take praying seriously.

When I post a prayer flare on Facebook, I begin by saying, “Hey prayer warriors …” or “For those of you who pray …” and then describe the plea. Again – my target audience is those who take praying seriously. I suppose anyone can reply with a praying hand emoji without actually meaning it. Guess I’ll never know who really prays on an explicit request. I can be responsible for only my own prayer promises.

I do not take it lightly when I ask prayer of others … and I do not take it nonchalantly when others ask prayers from me. I will stop reading that post or text and shoot up a prayer flare immediately. Then later in the evening or in my next morning’s prayers, I will add in the request again. In the case of my friends’ grandkids mentioned earlier, I have been praying often for those tiny helpless beings.

The next time someone asks you to pray for something or someone specifically, it is because that suggestion is significant to him or her. Let’s really hear the petition … pray it … and mean it.

Because when people ask us to pray, they are serious.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Suzanna Molino Singleton

Suzanna Molino Singleton

Suzanna Molino Singleton is a native Baltimorean and parishioner of St. Leo the Great Church in Little Italy. A former staff correspondent for the Catholic Review, she launched her "Snippets of Faith" blog for the Catholic Review in June 2018. Suzanna is the creator of a weekly e-column, SNIPPETS Inspiration (since 2006), and the author of eight books, including Italians in Baltimore; Baltimore's Little Italy: Heritage and History of The Neighborhood; and The Italian Immigrants' Daughter. Email Suzanna at suzannamolino@promotioncenterforlittleitaly.org.

View all posts from this author

Recent Commentary

A pandemic Lent, ox cookies, and Valentine’s gifts (7 Quick Takes)

Spiritual millionaires

Do nothing for Lent

Lent’s promise in bleak times

God prepares us for the unexpected

Recent Local News

Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool

Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic

Young Mother Lange honoree keeps busy helping others

RADIO INTERVIEW: What parents need to know about human trafficking

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Cardinal prays on CNN program marking 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.
  • Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool
  • Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83
  • Not your grandfather’s — or father’s — Superman
  • ‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic
  • Young Mother Lange honoree keeps busy helping others
  • RADIO INTERVIEW: What parents need to know about human trafficking
  • Passionist priest, relative of English princes, takes step closer to sainthood
  • ‘Giving Tuesday’ to put focus on digital donations for Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries
  • Pope, Holocaust survivor talk about the importance of remembering

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED