Pray As You Go is a nice ‘audio sanctuary’ run by Ignatian Catholics. Not only can you listen to a relaxing 10-minute reading each morning or evening, but each one is preceded by nice music, which you can also read about and download at the website.
This is really nice. A beautifully designed site where you can read the prayers and lessons if preferred. But it’s nice to just make yourself a brew, and take 10 to 15 minutes each day, to hear a passage from the Bible, then someone with a nice calm voice explains it. You then listen to the verse again with new understanding, asking what it means to you.
Each lesson is preceded by a lovely relaxing piece of music, and you can also use the site to learn more about the Catholic Rosary, find sign language lessons, explore passages to help your mental health, and much more.
There are even prayers for Advent and Lent, and special prayers for children. This is a good example of ‘prayer done well’. It’s very well put together, and very calming.
Who are Ignatian Catholics?
The Catholic faith has various different ‘families’. There are Franciscans, Benedictines, Passionists and Ignatians. In a nutshell:
- Ignatians are inspired by a Spanish saint, and known for using their gifts to help others, through work. Their work becomes their ‘holy vocation’, if you like.
- Franciscans are inspired by St Francis of Assisi, an Italian former party boy who became the patron saint of ecology and animal welfare.
- Benedictines live a life of prayer and work. Devon’s Buckfast Abbey is run by Benedictine Monks, who make the famous Buckfast Tonic Wine.
- Jesuits are quite scholarly (Pope Francis was a Jesuit priest).
- Passionists focus on modern-day suffering, often helping prisoners and refugees. Minsteracres (a Northumberland retreat) is run by Passionist priests and nuns.
This blog has a post on Franciscans (busy loving everything that comes across their path – rabbits, kittens, spiders, trees, mushrooms) to Dominicans (his favourite Catholic order, because ‘everyone needs a favourite, it’s like baseball’).
