Drawn into Friendship: Catholic Prayer and Spiritual Growth

Drawn into Friendship: Catholic Prayer and Spiritual Growth is a five-lesson online course taught by Fr. John Bartunek, LC — Legionary of Christ priest, author of The Better Part, and experienced retreat director. Drawing on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the writings of St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Alphonsus Liguori, and the contemporary teaching of Benedict XVI, Fr. Bartunek presents a complete and practical vision of Catholic prayer accessible to parish learners and graduate students alike.

Lesson 1 grounds prayer in the Catechism's definition as a vital and personal relationship with God. Lessons 2–4 explore the definition, methods, degrees, and discernment criteria of mental prayer — including the Four Cs, the distinction between meditation and contemplation, St. Teresa's garden image, and practical criteria for evaluating spiritual fruit. Lesson 5 completes the course with a theological treatment of liturgical prayer as the communal, objective anchor of the Christian prayer life.