The Simplest Prayer

In conjunction with the Year of the Holy Name of Jesus, the Irish Franciscans have produced a book on prayer: The Simplest Prayer: A Book of Love and Faith.

In today’s world, we can often feel at sea, unsure of where to turn in times of trouble. We might want to pray, but don’t know where to start or what to say. Here, in The Simplest Prayer, the Irish Franciscans show us how we can find a sense of peace and solace through prayer in today’s busy and challenging world.

This book hopes to lead people to experience the Lord’s love in their lives no matter what their present circumstances or their past deeds; no matter how weak they might feel their faith is.

Life is hard for many people. Even those people who seem to have it all together in their lives – they can be carrying hidden burdens known only to God. This book shows how to find fresh hope and courage so that life does not overwhelm or embitter us.

This is a book for those looking for strength and guidance in their everyday lives, for freedom from fear, for a deepened sense of faith and for connection with God.

This beautifully book is illustrated by the Galway Poor Clares.

The simplest prayer is to reach out in faith to Jesus whose love and mercy will never fail us. This book by the Irish Franciscans, beautifully illustrated by the Poor Clares in Galway, includes practical advice on meditation and using Jesus’ own words for help in many situations, including periods of loss, grief, gratitude, anxiety and depression. The Simplest Prayer shows us how we can open ourselves to the presence of the Lord in our everyday lives.

As Franciscans we meet people who have problems with the church. But they have no problem with Jesus; they just have drifted away. We friars wrote this book to help those people to rediscover a deeper faith that unwraps the heart to grace.

Many people want to pray but feel they don’t know how to; they don’t know where to begin. This book shows how pray in the simplest way – to reach out to Jesus in whatever situation we find ourselves knowing his mercy will never fail us.

Published by Hachette Ireland.  Hardcover. 208 pages. €17.99.

Available in Ireland in Easons and Veritas, and all good bookstores.

Also available on Amazon – print and Kindle.

Proceeds from the sale of The Simplest Prayer will be donated to our Franciscan Mission in Zimbabwe.

Book Launch: Sr Julie McGoldrick, Kieran Cronin OFM, Naomi Dunlevey and Francis Cotter OFM