Pocket Guide to Prayer

Develop a daily habit of prayerful conversation with the Lord with Pocket Guide to Prayer. 

Pocket Guide to Prayer is a beautiful, inspiring book written by Edward and Beth Sri, with contributor Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, that gives anyone confidence in knowing God and building a relationship with him. As an "on-ramp" into understanding the various tools for prayer that the Church offers us, this pocket guide will help Catholics build a fulfilled and deeply satisfying prayer life. 

This short but complete guide helps Catholics enter into prayer with more consistency and devotion. It empowers anyone on their faith journey to prioritize daily conversation with God.

Filled with insight on many facets of prayer, Edward and Beth with Fr. Mark-Mary show Catholics how to:

• Get started with prayer
• Understand vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation
• Learn how to respond to distractions, dryness, and other common struggles experienced in prayer without being discouraged
• Shape their lives around a habit of prayer
• Build a life of prayer in the family and the home
• Understand popular devotions
• And more!

Through practical tips and personal stories, Pocket Guide to Prayer empowers Catholics to approach the Lord in their daily life through prayer each and every day.

“Pocket Guide to Prayer is an easy to read introduction to the spiritual life. This informative and practical resource will both inspire and encourage the reader to cultivate a deeper relationship with God through daily prayer.”

–Fr. Josh Johnson

Director of Vocations, Pastor, Author & Host of the Ask Fr. Josh Podcast 

“A lot of believers worry that we're missing out on something essential to spiritual growth. Whether it's a teaching we haven't heard of or a practice we haven't incorporated, many of us suspect that we don't know what we don't know and that our life is somehow less holy than it could be. If you've thought along these lines at any point, this book is for you. The Pocket Guide to Prayer is a beautiful introduction to the Church's life of prayer. It provides that reader with the basics of Catholic teaching and the range of Catholic practices. It's a must read for anyone wanting to lay a firm foundation.”

–Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.

Speaker and Co-host of Catholic Classics Podcast

“Prayer is communication with God, a communication that arises from within the depths of our hearts. While we are created with a desire for God, we stumble when it comes to how we should pray. Even the disciples who were walking with Jesus, the Word made flesh, had to ask Jesus how to go about praying. The Lord taught them how to pray, and still today we need to be taught how to pray. Edward and Beth Sri, along with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, are wonderful teachers who demonstrate proper prayer in their daily lives. This Pocket Guide to Prayer will be of great value to you as you, like the disciples, ask Jesus how to pray!”

–Jeff and Emily Cavins

Catholic Authors and Speakers

“This beautiful resource reminds us that prayer is not a task or chore, but an encounter between God's infinite desire for us and our desire for him. Readable and filled with practical tips for individuals and families, this book is a gift from Beth and Dr. Ed Sri, and Fr. Mark-Mary.”

–Jackie and Bobby Angel

Catholic Authors, Speakers, and Ascension Presenters

“The Sris have long been sharing the Gospel with people and leading them into the heart of Christ. But one of the most crucial aspects of conversion and lifelong discipleship is entering deeply into the habit and mystery of prayer—without which our apostolic efforts quickly dry up. This book answers that challenge, drawing the reader into the gift and practice of prayer, offering tools to overcome dryness and the most common obstacles to prayer, such as our apparent lack of time. Read this book and take your prayer to a new level!”

–Andrew and Sarah Swafford

National speakers and authors of Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships