In the morning, a great while before the day, Jesus rose and went out to lonely place, and there He prayed (Mark 1:35).
One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He had finished, one of His disciples asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…. He said to them, “When you pray, say: (Luke 11:1-4)
“Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:9-13).

What is prayer?
Prayer is our conversation with God. It begins with silence, remembering God’s presence, listening to Him attentively. We then speak to Him from the heart, silently or out loud, using written prayers, or in our own words. Prayer is learning to listen first, and then to speak.

Why do we need to pray?
Breathing is a sign of life. To breathe is to be alive.
To have life, both the body and the soul need to breathe. Prayer is the spirit breathing. It is a sign that we are spiritually alive.
To know God and to love Him, we need to pray. Without prayer, there is no communion with God; there is no life with Him.
Prayer is the most important activity of our lives. It is the main way in which we develop our friendship with God.

How should we pray?
We should pray simply, with faith and trust, as a child speaks to his father. We need to pray from the heart, with feeling and attention. Normally, we pray standing, but at other penitential times we kneel or prostrate in prayer. Privately you can pray in these ways, or even by sitting, walking, lying down. “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” (Psalm 63:6)

How often should we pray?
Begin by praying simple and basic prayers, at set times throughout the day. For example, pray the Our Father or the Haily Mary (Rejoice O Full of Grace). Once you are in the habit of praying routine prayers at routine times, choose other special times during the day to recite standard prayers (e.g. the Our Father) or to pray the Jesus Prayer. Read the Holy Scriptures. Spend some time alone with God in silence. Speak to God in your own words. Pray spontaneously form the heart, as a child to his or her father speaks and listens (e.g. “thank you God”, “Glory to you Lord, for all you have given me”) This can be done in your room, in a church, or outdoors. 

Does God answer our prayers?
Jesus said: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist writes: “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:15).
God always hears and answers our prayers, but not in the ways that we might expect. For God knows what we truly need, even before we ask. He knows what is best. We can trust in His mercy and His loving kindness.