Making the Connection between Prayer, Faith, and Forgiveness in Roman Catholic Families

Abstract

This study examines meanings and processes associated with religious practices of prayer, building faith, and forgiving through in-depth, qualitative interviews with six highly religious Roman Catholic families with children. Families were interviewed using a narrative approach that asked participants to share experiences and challenges related to faith and family life. Three primary themes in the interviews included: (a) prayer helps piece the puzzle together, (b) faith builds a foundation, and (c) forgiveness allows unity to flourish.

The effects of a prayer intervention on the process of forgiveness.

“…Those who were involved in small, religiously focused groups found group activity involving prayer and the reading of the Bible strongly assisted in their process of forgiving. In a qualitative study among Roman Catholics, Batson and Marks (2008) found a relationship between prayer and forgiveness where prayer facilitated a couple's process of forgiving one another. However, neither of the above studies looked at forgiveness or prayer in a controlled, measurable way.…”