Teach Us How To Pray
Quigley North Chapel
One late afternoon, some 82 years ago, as a First Year student, I went into the magnificent Gothic Style Chapel of Quigley Seminary on the North Side. In the semi-darkness of twilight, a young priest, then a member of the Seminary Faculty, knelt in prayer, his head bent down. Seeing him praying so quietly and peacefully, made me think . . . “This is a good idea, to talk with God and bring some of His Goodness into my life. I want that young priest’s peace.”
In my Second Year, this same priest entered our classroom to teach us about the Gallic Wars in Latin. This closeness to him on a daily basis increased my admiration for him and helped me to set him up as my #1 hero in my five years at Quigley. Everything he did in the classroom possessed that spirit of peace and kindness. Undoubtedly, his way of life came from his practice of prayer and union with God.
He treated everybody fairly. Nothing ruffled his daily life with us, oftentimes rough and unthinking teenagers. The passing years have not lessened my reverence for him. He still remains my #1 hero, the inspiration of a lifetime.
The spirit of prayer which Jesus constantly practiced made Him an appealing person to His followers. All the actions of Christ possessed those qualities of peace, fearlessness and gentleness. His friends begged Him to teach them how to pray so they could follow His life style. Rightfully so, they concluded that prayer gave Him that special calmness and courage in the face of suffering.
Like the Apostles, beg the Lord for this spirit of prayer. Above all the gifts of life, the possession of tranquility and inner harmony ranks first. A faithful follower of Christ, in admiration of His life, can raise up one’s heart joyfully in short aspirations.
Nothing will bring a person peace more quickly than a willingness to share one’s fears, doubts, and happenings of the day with the Lord. When I used to meet my former Latin teacher, now deceased at the age of 95, Monsignor John Hayes, and tell him thanks, he would quietly smile.
Fr. George Mc Kenna
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About
Fr. George Mc Kenna is a retired Catholic Priest. He was ordained on May 6, 1944 in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He is the founder of Our Lady of Loretto Chapel at Midway Airport. Fr. Mc Kenna has written four books. A triology titled “I’ll Only Speak for 3 Minutes” and his latest work, “Wisdom From the Pulpit“. Father currently lives in Palos Park, Il. at the Bishop Timothy Lyne Residence for retired priests.
If you are interested in ordering my book Wisdom From The Pulpit, click on the image below and it will take you directly to the publisher – CMJ Books.
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Thank you for this important reminder about the power of prayer.
Martha Martin
Wow! I also loved praying in Quigley’s Chapel and I remember you and your reading material in the last pew of the chapel. Thank you, Father McKenna. Quigley’s was the best!
Thank you Fr McKenna for your words of wisdom from our Lord. Deacon Ed DeLorenzo is a dear friend of ours, we are in the same parish. He loves you as so do I. I also have a friend of yours (and mine) Pat Weidinger (Halla) who speaks so well of you. We worked at Sears together and are still in touch.
May God continue to bless you and send his messages to us thru your obedience. I, too, want a peaceful, gentle spirit in dealing with my family and friends, I pray that our Lord will help me to show Jesus to all in my life.
I do look forward to “God is Good” every week.
In Jesus name, Dorothy
The Quigley chapel is beautiful! another timely and beneficial message especially as we enter the time of lent to pray! and to share one’s fears, doubts, and happenings of life with the lord, how much pressure it would ease and peace it brings to ones soul, there will always be bumps in the road of life but sharing them with Christ smooths the surface. Thank you father!
What a beautiful chapel to share “conversation” with Him! Prayer is the greatest power on earth…as we ask for His Guidance on this journey…Happy St. Valentine’s Day Fr. George!!! Love & Blessings to you! Marianne
Thanks for all your memories which are a great help and for advice,I keep trying.
Just as you Fr McKenna, I too met a priest during my freshman year at Quigley Sem 1958/1959 .his name has always been on my mind. He impressed me then as he does now. His quiet nature and love for Our Lord was inspiring. That Priest was you Fr McKenna !! Thanks for you being you Fr . God has blessed you for your ministry. God bless. Paul Krueger
Hi Fr. George! My heart sings with joy every time I read your blog posts! It is like a little chat with you – you speak directly to my heart! Just like you mentioned, prayer can bring such peace to my heart! I wish others who are so forlorn, worried, and crabby would try it! Prayer has become such an important part of my life – much to your credit! I enjoy saying my prayers every day – some days I say more than others; sometimes in thanksgiving, sometimes for a certain individual; always for you (I pray for priests and at the end, for ‘priests to whom I am indebted to in any other way… that’s YOU, my dear friend!); I also enjoy prayer thru the rosary – so meaningful to me! Thank you, thank you, thank you – for coming into my life at a time when I needed you so much!
The weather here is unbelievably warm – high 50’s in winter?? If this keeps up, we’ll have to cut our grass soon! But, we did travel about 6 hours last weekend with friends and enjoyed cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and a horse drawn sleigh ride all set in the beautiful mountainous region of eastern Washington! Just lovely!
Enjoy your St. Valentine’s day tomorrow – I will say EXTRA prayers for you this weekend!! I hope that you know you have a special place in my heart, Fr. George! Love you, my dear friend!
P.S. Gave your book (Wisdom from the Pulpit) to my friend, Susan, who just found out that her brother has stage IV colon cancer – she was very appreciative to receive it! See? How many lives you touch – over and over again!!
To Fr. George Mc Kenna- I could echo all the reactions you had to Fr. Hayes, except they would be about you unraveling the mysteries of Algebra to freshmen at Quigley in Classroom 1F in 1958! YOU were my inspiration.
Kent Thomas Lyons