During the season of Lent should we say the Sorrowful Mysteries every day?Or we can say all the mysteries like we normally do?

During Lent we can either recite only the Sorrowful Mysteries or as usual all the Mysteries.The Rosary is a private prayer,so there is no official rule from the Church about it. Personally, I prefer to say all the Mysteries as usual because we have to contemplate on the whole life of Jesus and not only on    one part of it. Even during Lent, we should meditate on his birth and other aspects of his life.The mystery of Jesus has to be concentrated in complete vision, with the help of all the mysteries and at all times of the year.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PRAYER?

Since the Holy Spirit is the interior Master of Christian prayer and "we do not know how to pray as we ought" (Romans 8:26), the Church exhorts us to invoke him and  implore him on every occasion: "Come, Holy Spirit!" The Holy Spirit gives sweetness in believing (faith) and leads us into a personal communion with God. He guides us and teaches us how to pray. [ See CCC 2690]


Please explain the 'the gifts of knowledge' and if it is okay to allow who has this goft to pray over you and give you the message he receives.

The gifts of knowledge is not a gift for scientific civil studies of mathematics, or languages, or any other subject. It is only "to know" , i.e., to understand better the Word of God and its implication in our present life.It is a gift that is linked with anothr gift, the gift of Wisdom. Anybody can pray over you or over me or over any other person. But, we should be very skiptical about "the message they receive". Many times the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with that the person seems or assumes to receive from  him. Even though the the Holy Spirit can speak to somebody in many ways, even by private inspiration, the Holy Spirit normally conveys his messages through the Church (by Word of God, through the Sacraments, Liturgy, and prayer).When somebody tells you that his message comes from the Holy Spirit, please don't readily believe it.A discernment of the spirit is always necessary in these cases. [ See CCC 2690] 

What is the "Gift of Healing"?Is it the same as the miracles that Jesus performed?

The signs and miracles that Jesus worked attest that the Father sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what we ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. In his name, Jesus' disciples performed miracles, for the Father granted all they asked in this name.

In the Church there are people, including Deacons, Religious and lay people who are actively exercising the charism of healing the sick. Many miraculous healings are being reported by many of these different ministries such as the lame being able to walk, the blind being able to see, the deaf being able to hear, a radical changing of people's hearts and lives towards God, and other types of healings.The Church encourages all the faithful to use the spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church in charity according to the Documents of the Vatican Council II under the Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People.Of course, the Church has the responsibility to pass judgement on the authenticity and good use of these gifts in accordance with 1Thes. 5:12,19, 21, to test everything and to keep what is good. I think it is also worthwhile to mention here that the Doctrinal Commission of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services  (ICCRS) based in the Vatican has recently published a booklet entitled, "Guidelines For Prayer For Healings" to facilitate the exercise of prayer for healings that is in communion with the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Eucharist is the best source of healing. Every time we attend Mass, we attend a Healing Service, where we receive the Living Christ the Healer, his body, blood, soul and divinity. Some sects, like "Christian Services", reject all medicine. To do is "to tempt God", somehow "forcing " him to interfere and to perform miracles.

WHAT IS THE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL?

The word Charismatic comes from the Greek word Charis' which means 'Gift'. When this outpouring of the Holy Spirit began in the Catholic  Church in the early 1960's shortly after Vatican II, it was called the Catholic Pentecostal Renewal. Due to confusion in the minds of Catholics with Protestant Pentecostalism, the term Pentecostal was dropped in favor of the word Charismatic and it became known as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Since its small beginnings in the USA, it has spread rapidly to become one of the fastest growing movements in the Catholic Church with a global membership exceeding 100million today. The "Charismatic"groups - which are not popular among the Middle - Eastern Christians, but are very keen on keeping Catholic faith and moderate manifestation of heavenly gifts, according to  the directives of St. Paul, especially in 1Cor. 14.



 

What times are more suitable for prayer?

Anytime is suitable for prayer but the Church proposes to the faithful "special times" for praying which are intended to nourish continual prayer. They are morning and evening prayer, prayer before and after meals. The Divine Office,Sundays centered on the Eucharist, and feast of the Liturgical year.[See CCC 2698]

What are the Major Expressions of Prayer?

The Christian tradition comprises three major expressions of the life of prayer, vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer. What they have in common is the recollection of the heart.

Vocal Prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human nature. It is associates the external with the interior prayer of the heart, following Christ's example of praying to his Father and teaching the Our Father to his disciples. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our supplication, Even interior prayer, however, cannot neglect vocal prayer, Prayer is internalized to the extent that we become aware that it is God to whom we are speaking. Thus vocal prayer becomes an initial form of contemplative prayer.Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but in the fervor of our souls.

VOCAL PRAYER

Vocal prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human nature. It associates the external with the interior prayer of the heart, following Christ's example of praying to his Father and teaching the Our Father to his disciples. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible  to our supplication. Even interior prayer, however, cannot neglect vocal prayer. Prayer is internalized to the extent that we become aware that it is God to whom we are speaking. Thus vocal prayer becomes an initial form of contemplative prayer. Whether or not prayer is heard depends not on the numbers of words, but on the fervor of our souls.bit.ly/trc05

What is a "Holy Hour"?

The holy Hour is an hour (roughly sixty minutes) spent in front of the Blessed Sacrament - as we firmly believe in the real presence of the Lord there. The Holy Hour is the literal answer and positive response to the question of the suffering Jesus at the "Garden of Olives" (Gethsemane), a question addressed to St. Peter. "Aren't you capable of watching (staying awake) with Me for One Hour?" So the Church, fostered this devotion to Christ Present in the Blessed Sacrament, especially on Thursday evenings (to remember the Holy Thursday) and on the Holy Week Thursday. The Franciscan Fathers at Gethsemane celebrate the "Holy Hour" every Thursday evening with prayers, hymns, remaining awake with the suffering Jesus. (see also Hebrews 5:7)