Faith, love and service all begin with prayer, says Providence bishop

Published: 2007-03-07

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (CNS) -- Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin addressed an interfaith audience at a recent prayer breakfast on the theme "prayer begets faith, faith begets love, and love begets service to the poor." "It all begins with prayer. Prayer is a lifting up of our hearts and minds to God," he said. "We are taught that there are different kinds of prayer, public prayer and personal prayer," the bishop added, as well as formal prayer with memorized words and informal prayer to express one's deepest aspirations to the Lord. "Prayer unites our spirit to the spirit of God," Bishop Tobin told participants at the 11th Annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at Bryant University in Smithfield. He attributed the theme of his talk to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, whom the bishop noted spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994. The Smithfield event, held Feb. 23, drew local religious leaders and members of their congregations, civic leaders, university staff and students. It is modeled after the national breakfast, held every year in Washington during February.

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