When I was working my way through Pillars: A Journey through the Catechism of the Catholic Church through The Saint Paul Seminary’s Catechetical Institute, I was a bit surprised by the section in the Catechism on “Expressions of Prayer” (CCC 2700 through CCC 2719), which explores vocal, meditative, and contemplative prayer. Historically, I always thought of vocal prayer as elevated above all other prayer, presenting through words one’s deepest hopes, sorrows, and petitions to the Father. I am consistently awed by those who, on the spot, can express the most beautiful prayers from the heart when my own spontaneous vocal prayer, especially <gasp> in front of other people, tends to be a bit bumbling. Conversely, I had always considered meditation and contemplation to be easier forms of prayer and assumed the regular practice of communing with God in this way would then boost my ability to articulate my prayers in words. It seems my approach to prayer has been backward!

Although all three expressions of prayer are important and necessary in one’s spiritual life, the Catechism teaches that vocal prayer is the initial form of prayer from which meditation and contemplation spring. Contemplative prayer is the level of prayer to which we should aspire because it is then that Jesus intimately approaches us. In one of the lectures during the Pillars program, the speaker emphasized “as we progress in prayer, it becomes simpler and quieter,” and “if you want to make progress in prayer, foster silence.” It was this new perspective on prayer that I put into practice during my “park bench prayer challenge” for Lent 2025 (see My Mission), and I have clung to it ever since.

Vocal prayer happens pre-bench

While en route to a park bench (driving and/or walking), that’s my “chat” time with God, everything from prayer requests to expressing gratitude to simply talking to Him about how my day is going. Sometimes I listen to a session on the Hallow app, very often finding some good nuggets to use for meditation when I ultimately get to a park bench. Lots of words happening in this phase of prayer.

Next step: settling in for meditation

Once I am cozy on my park bench of choice, I take a few minutes to choose something as the basis of my meditation. If it’s something from scripture, then technically my whole park bench prayer follows lectio divina (explained in numerous online resources), although I seem to bounce back and forth between reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation rather than following the four steps in order. If I’m not using God’s word, I still use the basic principles of lectio divina: reflecting on my chosen quote (or passage, song lyric, etc.) and how it relates to my life, sharing those thoughts and feelings with the Lord, and contemplating what He might be placing in my heart in response. Thoughts are set adrift, the heart is open, and words become fewer in this phase of prayer.

Contemplation: where it gets real

Park bench prayer, by its very nature, is perfect for engaging in contemplative prayer. Carving this time out of your day to spend with God, just sitting still and being with Him, allowing the process to unfold without rushing it—this is “the pre-eminently intense time of prayer. In it the Father strengthens our inner being with power through his Spirit” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2714). Words almost entirely disappear here. It is simply friends spending time together. It is two hearts fused. It is “a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts” (CCC 2713).

For me, my contemplative prayer is further intensified with park bench prayer being out in God’s creation. I have always connected with God through nature, so spending abundant time with Him outside on a park bench is incredibly powerful and restorative. There is a marked difference in my soul before park bench prayer and after. Think of it a bit like charging your phone. You can plug it in or put it on a charger for 10 minutes, and it’s enough to keep you going, but a full recharge takes time. Giving God 30 minutes of my time, approaching Him in all my brokenness and inviting Him into my heart, then allowing Him to love me and renew me through the world He shaped…that is the essence of park bench prayer.