The two main types of prayer are vocal and mental. In vocal prayer we use prayers, such as the ones mentioned above, from books. Or perhaps those we’ve written down ourselves. In mental prayer we reflect on God’s word. (Mental prayer can also include meditation on various prayers and readings.)

Note that, as the renowned Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once stressed “In prayer [we] do not do all the talking…we must also listen. God talks to us, more in meditation than in vocal prayer.” The two forms can also be combined and often are, such as in the Rosary. Vocal prayer can help with mental prayer.

Reading can definitely help your mental prayer life as well! Try to read scripture or other devout material whenever possible, even if it’s just for 15 minutes or so, (at least a couple of times each week).

We should pray with confidence, humility, sincerity (from your heart), attentiveness and perseverance. Note the humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive here. We approach our Creator knowing we don’t always have all the answers as to what’s best for us. He does! With faith we have confidence that He will provide for our needs, thinking always of what’s best for our souls. As we say in the Lord’s Prayer “Thy will be done!”

On being attentive, if your mind wanders, let God know in your own
words that you’re sorry if you can’t concentrate but you’d like to pray anyway. If you find your prayers are on “auto-pilot,” slow down and try to focus on the words of each prayer and what they mean to you.