Hathaway posts his fan mail, and also mentions the lives changed by listeners to his own homegrown prayer CD.
I do not actually get to listen to my copy. There’s no CD player in my truck, and very little quiet around the house*. But here’s what my copy is super useful for: CCD.
Because after a while, I’m 98% sure the kids are sick of listening to my voice. So at the end of class (or the beginning, or the middle), I can pick out a lesson-appropriate prayer off the CD, and the kids can quietly meditate to the sound of somebody else.
FYI John has a very neutral accent and clear voice (he is a trained singer), and no weird dramatic stuff. Just prayers. From a guy who has a for-real prayer life, which I know because I have caught him at it. Prayers include about everything you could want a student to know:
Byzantine Opening Prayers
Come Holy Spirit
Breathe in Me O Holy Spirit
Lorica of St. Patrick
Morning Offering
Acts of Faith, Hope and Love
Short Aspirations
Prayers for Priests,
Vocations,
and the Holy Souls
Morning Prayer of J.H. Newman
St. Michael Prayer
Litany of the Saints
St. Bridget Prayers
St. Therese Prayer
Prayers of St. Ignatius
Franciscan Peace Prayer
St. Anselm Daily Prayer
St. Michael Chaplet
Prayers for Spiritual Growth
Litany of Humility
Prayer to the Infant of Prague
Flos Carmeli
Or at least enough to keep you quite busy.
FYI I am in the middle of trying to persuade the man to record a music CD for use in religious ed, too. Let him know if you have a hymn request for that. Something you want to be able to teach your students in class (or children at home), but maybe you want some help leading, because you aren’t a brilliant musician. Or maybe you are a brilliant musician, but you still like to play a CD for the kids when they sing.
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*Yes, I know I listen to audio books while exercising or folding laundry. I guess I should listen to prayer CD’s while doing that. Hathaway nods. But you don’t understand, John, I’ve got this great lecture series on Byzantine history — I didn’t even know I *liked* Byzantine history. Hathaway says, maybe you’ll like praying, too. You could be surprised.