Bonus: Attention as Prayer – Finding God in Every Moment with Kathy Lorentz
Religion To Reality
Quick Summary In this bonus episode of Religion to Reality, hosts Dave Plisky and Father John Gribowich sit down with Catholic educator and mindfulness teacher, Kathy Lorentz, to explore how prayer is far more than just words. It's about cultivating awareness of God's presence throughout every moment of our lives. Kathy shares her journey from playing the Blessed Mother in a touring play at age 16 to becoming a theology teacher who works with students from preschool through adulthood. Her approach to prayer challenges traditional notions, revealing how attention, gratitude, and presence can transform mundane moments into sacred encounters. Listen now to discover how you can develop a deeper prayer life without adding more to your to-do list. In This Bonus Episode, We Explore: The Nature of Prayer and Attention (03:00-09:00) Why prayer isn't just an activity but an awareness of God's presence The profound connection between attention and prayer: "Attention taken to its highest degree is the same thing as prayer" (Simone Weil) How attention works like a spotlight—you can only focus on one thing at a time Understanding that "attention is a muscle" that strengthens with practice Navigating the Digital Age Mindfully (09:00-12:00) Practical strategies for teaching high school students to manage digital distractions The importance of turning off notifications and using "do not disturb" mode intentionally Helping students recognize the preciousness of time through journaling their digital habits How to be fully present whether in prayer or conversation Prayer Practices for Everyday Life (12:00-19:00) Using gratitude as a form of prayer—finding three or four meaningful moments each day The comfort and power of repetitive prayers like the Hail Mary (Kathy prays it up to 50 times daily) Creating "mindfulness bells" throughout your day—doorways, meals, car rides as prayer opportunities Prayer while driving past struggling communities: holding people in compassionate love The Importance of Intentional Prayer Time (20:00-23:00) Why setting aside dedicated time for prayer matters, even when we know life itself is prayer The transformative power of beginning your day with five minutes of prayer How communal and structured prayer (like in monasteries) can form us The blessing of working in theology education, where prayer is built into the day Praying for Others (23:00-26:00) What it means to hold people in prayer without imposing our will Why Kathy rarely prays for specific outcomes: "I don't have the wisdom to know what a suffering someone needs." The sacredness of simply blessing others: "God bless you. May God bless you." Understanding your presence itself as prayer when you carry the Holy Spirit with you Misconceptions About Prayer (26:00-29:00) How gratitude, acts of service, and caring attention are all forms of prayer Meister Eckhart's wisdom: "If all you said was thank you, that would be prayer enough." Why telling young people “You don't get to choose" whether you're spiritual—it's part of being human Moving beyond seeing prayer as separate from the rest of life toward integration Cultivating Awe and Wonder (29:00-34:00) How science and spirit aren't opposites—the experience of awe bridges both Dacher Keltner's research: we need 50 experiences of awe per day, not just 2-3 Using "awe workshops" to help students recognize sacred moments Einstein's wisdom: "Never lose a holy cu...