Vatican:

As the Year of Prayer commences, Pope Francis has announced the establishment of a "School of Prayer" to explore different facets of every Christian's "breath of faith." The official launch took place during the Sunday Angelus on January 21, 2024.

The "School of Prayer" was introduced by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, at a press conference at the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday, January 23. This year is dedicated to rediscovering the significance of prayer in personal life, the life of the Church, and the world, in preparation for the upcoming 2025 Jubilee. Pope Francis urged the faithful to "pray more fervently to prepare ourselves to properly live this grace-filled event and to experience the power of hope in God."

Archbishop Fisichella emphasized the Dicastery's commitment to supporting the Year of Prayer by providing materials to Episcopal Conferences and Diocesan Jubilee representatives. This year is not marked by specific initiatives but serves as a time to rediscover the value of prayer and its necessity in the daily Christian life. In this digital age, the Dicastery aims to educate people on effective and fruitful prayer. Archbishop Fisichella described the Year of Prayer as an opportunity for spiritual rest, an oasis from daily stress where prayer becomes nourishment for the Christian life of faith, hope, and charity.

The archbishop acknowledged the vast range of ways people pray, from quick and distracted prayer to contemplative prayer and prayer filled with tears of pain. He emphasized that prayer cannot be confined to a pre-established pattern because it is a manifestation of the believer's relationship with God. To aid in meditation and understanding of prayer, the Dicastery suggests revisiting the 38 catechetical talks given by Pope Francis between May 2020 and June 2021, which explore various forms of prayer. The Dicastery is also preparing a series of volumes entitled "Notes on Prayer."

Monsignor Graham Bell of the Dicastery further described the current projects to prepare for and support this Year of Prayer, including a series of materials and prayer aids, forming a "symphony" of prayer forms for the Christian community and individual believers.