Personal Prayer and Devotion


In the Catholic Church, there is a distinction between Liturgy, which is the formal public and communal worship of the Church, and personal prayer or devotion, which may be public or private.

The Liturgy is regulated by Church authority and consists of the Eucharist (the Mass), the other Sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Hours.

All Catholics are expected to participate in the liturgical life of the Church, but personal prayer and devotions are entirely a matter of personal preference.