Four ways to fit in prayer during the hectic school year

By Eli Pacheco  

Looking for that magic formula for fitting in prayer when classes start?  

It is not easy. School schedules are often much busier than summer vacation. Finding time to pray can be a challenge.  

We asked four Franciscan friars for practical advice on making time for prayer when school starts. Here is what they had to say. But first: 

Why is it essential for students to pray? 

The boost to your well-being is significant! A consistent prayer life can help you improve your focus, alleviate stress and build resilience to challenges as you are drawn closer to God.

Br. Dan Dwyer, OFM, speaks with a student at Siena College.

Ways to enhance your prayer life at school 

1. Don’t wait to pray! 

Should you pray when you wake up or when you go to sleep? At midday or all day?  

Br. Mark Hudak, OFM, who serves at Roger Bacon High School in Cincinnati, says that to God, the best time to pray is always now.  

“God is completely present to all of creation in every moment,” Br. Mark said. “Therefore, God sees me not as I see myself from moment to moment, but in some mysteriously holistic manner.  

“God is the most available friend anyone can ever have.”  

Try this  

Begin with prayerful mindfulness as you prepare for your day. Look for moments when you can ask God to accompany you, whether it’s help with a test or a “thank you” for an unexpected blessing. If you have a moment to pray – pray! With that in mind ... 

2. Embrace the power of intentional prayer  

Try to create a plan for your prayer. It can help you navigate challenges throughout your day.  

At Roger Bacon High School, each class period begins with one of 16 Franciscan values. Br. Gene Mayer, OFM, cites these values as a fitting guideline for developing a personal prayer practice.  

“In my 22 years of teaching, the Peace Prayer of St. Francis was my constant prayer,” Br. Gene said. 

Try this 

Find moments for intentional prayer: walking to your toughest class, before a challenging quiz, or for a friend who is having a tough day. Recognizing times to pray with gratitude is also good — like when you ace that test or your friend’s day turns around.

3. Pull away from distractions

 Many of us struggle with distractions from screens, social calendars and even our own minds. Sometimes, our studies and extracurricular activities, while a gift from God, can leave little time for prayer.  

Br. Al Hirt, OFM, is pastor of two parishes with grade schools in Cincinnati. He reminds us that St. Francis advises us to work hard, but not be so busy that we extinguish the spirit of prayer.  

“Easier said than done,” Br. Al said. “As I begin a new school year with two schools and one new principal, I have recommitted myself to spending time with Evening Prayer, especially interceding for my principals.  

“Just trying to be briefly God-aware before I meet with them or enter the schools is helpful.” It only takes a short pause! 

Try this 

The Bible tells us Jesus stepped away at times for prayer (Mark 1:35; Matthew 14:23; and Luke 6:12). He did this not only for a break and some rest, but also to focus on his relationship with God. Can you find a time each week to set aside your phone, sit quietly and reconnect with God?  

4. Consider it a conversation with God 

Prayer, like school classes, is also a means of pursuing wisdom.  

Br. Jim Sabak, OFM, sees the beginning of the school year as the ideal time for prayer. 

“In a Franciscan context, study and the pursuit of wisdom are meant to allow one to engage more deeply in and with creation – of which we humans are a part,” said Br. Jim, who supports The Franciscan School community in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Through this engagement, we are meant to realize the presence of God, who uses creation as the principal means for revealing himself to us – the sacramental principle.”  

Br. Jim cites the teachings of St. Bonaventure, which suggest that all study and the pursuit of all knowledge are means to this end.  

“It is out of that relationship we realize the great privilege that wisdom is to humanity and thereby hopefully realize that it must be treated with reverence and not abused or manipulated,” he said. 

Try this 

Study hard! To study is to pray. By studying, we learn more about the world around us. The more we learn, the more deeply we can connect with our communities and identify how our God-given gifts can be of service to others. The very acts of studying and learning bring us closer to God. 

As you study, remember the line from The Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Try to listen for God’s voice – what is he calling you to do? 

Conclusion 

Prayer and study are much more alike than many of us realize, said Br. Jim.  

“It may not be a question of finding time for prayer as school begins, but rather of a gathering realization that all study and the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom is itself prayer when we realize it is directed to awakening in us the presence of God, who opens up to us the wonders of the universe, and through this opening allows us glimpses into the very mind of God,” he said.  

With knowledge and wisdom, we can reorient ourselves to the meaning of prayer. It is not something extra to fit in, but rather a tool on our journey to self-discovery.  

“We can imagine, to create, to love that comes with learning, which are all divine properties within us,” Br. Jim said.  

And as Br. Chris Cahill, OFM, a teacher and technology coordinator at Roger Bacon High School, reminds us, “So long as there are tests in school, there will be prayer in school.”