Praying Outside

August 19, 2022
Author: Hannah DeVivo

Peace be with you!

Today’s blog post is inspired by a question from one of our readers! The question we received was this: “I always thought that Catholics were supposed to pray inside. I remember wanting to have our wedding outdoors and we were told it was not allowed. Do you know why that is?” Let’s dive into this and take a look at what the Church teaches.

What is Prayer?

“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” -Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Prayer is a conversation with God. In our Catholic faith, we have many beautiful formal prayers. These are wonderful and especially helpful when we are young and learning how to talk to God. Sometimes, the repetition and volume of these prayers can lead us to believe that this is the only way to pray. Additionally, we might be tempted to think that if we don’t pray exactly this way every time, the small or different ways that we do talk to God “don’t count.” I know this has been the case for me.

If you feel worried or upset about the way you pray, I invite you to accept the freedom that prayer is “a simple look turned toward heaven.” Your relationship with God is personal, unique, and doesn’t need to look a certain way. Praying the Rosary is wonderful and powerful. Saying the name “Jesus” in the middle of doing chores, when your attention is pulled in ten different directions, is also powerful. God sees and loves you just as you are. When you take the time to reach out to Him in whatever way you can, He is there and ready to hear it. As Saint Augustine said, “God thirsts that we might thirst for Him.”

Praying Outside

God created the beautiful outdoors. There is nothing wrong with praising and speaking to Him in creation. There is a time and place for all things and prayer is certainly no exception. There are times when formal prayer is good and necessary. Praising God in a church surrounded by fellow members of the Body of Christ has its delights and beauty—shielded from the elements as well! There are also times when our souls come alive in God’s wonderful creation, and our conversations with Him amplify in beauty and joy among the outdoors.

Saint Francis of Assisi is a wonderful example of one who was holy and close to God. He felt the love of God magnified when he spent time outside among nature and the animals. In his humility, he embraced the simple life of worshipping wherever he found himself. In his Canticle—credited by historians as the first great poem in Italian—it is clear how much respect Francis had for all of God’s creation and goodness.

Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, all praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun,Who is the day through whom You give us light.And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,In the heavens You have made them bright, precious, and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,And fair and stormy, all weather’s moods, by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,So useful, humble, precious, and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,Mother Earth who sustains and governs us, producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace; By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.

No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,And serve Him with great humility.

Why does the Catholic Church Prefer Couples to Marry Indoors?

Canon 1118 from the Code of Canon Law states that “A marriage between Catholics or between a Catholic party and a non-Catholic baptized party is to be celebrated in a parish church. It can be celebrated in another church or oratory with the permission of the local ordinary or pastor. The local ordinary can permit a marriage to be celebrated in another suitable place. A marriage between a Catholic party and a non-baptized party can be celebrated in a church or in another suitable place.”

Some may view the above as a pointless and strict rule, but the Church has sound logic behind it. The main reason is that the outdoors can make for completely unpredictable weather and/or other situations. The ceremony in which this sacrament is celebrated should always be reverent and focused on the union. Weather and other outside distractions have the potential of taking the focus off the sacred union between the man and woman.

In Catholic marriages where the Eucharist is present, it is imperative that It be kept safe. It would be an absolute tragedy if the Hosts were blown away, knocked down, or disrespected in any manner. The Church does not have this law to be unnecessarily controlling or because the beauty of nature is somehow bad or not of God. Rather, this rule exists for the protection and preservation of the sacred elements in a Catholic marriage.

Before You Go

Do you often pray outside or prefer to pray indoors?

If you are married, did you marry in the Catholic Church?

Did you learn anything new in this article?

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