How do you pray?

Prayer is like a personal phone call to God, so obviously conversations with Him will vary from person to person. Yet within these prayerful conversations, there are often similarities in style. There are those who pray classical prayers, such as the Hail Mary, and those who make up their prayers as they go along. Personally, I like to combine both methods. I'll review the day with God, then close my prayer with a handful of well known prayers.
One of the most important aspects in prayer is that you have to be honest. Don't pray for what you think you should pray for or what you think you have to pray for, pray the way you feel. God knows everything, so He's going to be able to tell if you're lying in prayer. Just be honest. If you hate someone, say it, then ask for God's help. If you're angry, don't pretend like you have everything under control. God is always there to help us with his infinite wisdom and love, but if you refuse to acknowledge your angers and problems, He can't help you. God will not force you to listen to him or come to him, you have to do that yourself.
If you don't know where or when or how to pray, here are some ideas I've found useful.

Where to Pray:
Quick prayers can be made anywhere, but I find it easier to concentrate for longer prayers when I am at somewhere quiet.
-a church
-your bedroom
-outside in a secluded area
-a park
-while walking around the block
-while running

When to Pray:
Again, because I enjoy quiet thought, I often choose times of day that provide me with peace... but any regular time that makes you get into the habit of praying is probably the best choice.
-right after you wake up in the morning
-before you fall asleep at night
-before meals
-whenever you see or hear a certain signal (for example, if pray after you see a cross or after you hear a bell)

People invest in the future every day. You go to school so you can eventually get a job. You save money so you can eventually get a car. You practice hard so you can eventually win the race. But how do you invest in the future of your spiritual life? An everlasting life with God should be much more important than a job or a car or a victory (and it will certainly last longer). So invest a little prayer every day in your spiritual bank account. It will be well worth it.

Who is Mary?

Mary is Jesus's mother... which is kind of difficult to understand, seeing as Jesus is God's son. So let's start at the beginning:

Mary was a virgin chosen by God. He sent down the angel Gabriel to bring her the news that she had been chosen to carry out a special mission. Mary consented to God's will, and the Holy Spirit blessed her with a son, Jesus. She and Joseph, her husband, raised him, then later followed him when he began teaching and preforming miracles. Mary was with Jesus until his last moments, when he died on the cross. Some time after Jesus's death and resurrection, Mary too ascended into heaven.

Because Mary ascended into heaven, how we pray to her can be a bit confusing. Mary is not a god, for there is only one God. So we do not worship Mary. However, she is more than a simple saint; she is Jesus's holy mother. We pray to her and ask her to help us in times of great need. If we feel week or helpless, we can ask Mary to pray to God for us to lend us some of her strength and gentleness. Mary herself cannot grant us these gifts or intercede for us; only through the grace of God can she aid us. A common prayer to Mary is stated below:

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Why are you Christian?

At first, I was just Christian because my parents wanted me to be. I mean, I was just a baby when I was baptized, then only a first grader when I accepted First Communion and had my first confession. Mommy and Daddy said God was real, and the Church said God was real, so I believed. But I never really got it. I mean, I went to mass every Sunday, but it was just repetitive and boring and something I had to do, not wanted to do.
But then I spent a weekend preparing for first Confirmation, which is pretty much the mass in which a Catholic makes the adult decision to stay with the Church. It was during this camp that I truly began to see, feel, and understand the true meaning of being a Christian.

Being a Christian isn't a title; it's a way of life. It's a commitment to love everyone, no matter what they do to you. It's a commitment to obey the commandments and lead others to God. It's showing Christ in every one of your actions. It's obeying God, no matter what. It's the meaning of life. To love unconditionally as disciples of Christ is the true meaning of being Christian.
So why am I Christian? Because I believe it's the meaning of life. It doesn't immediately unfold a clear path before me, but it guides my feet. If God put us on this world to follow Him, who am I to say no? He's like the referee in the game of life, and every rule or suggestion He makes only makes the game easier to play and win. And winning a place in heaven, the perfect prize, is well worth whatever challenges I have to face.

I asked God

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things...

I got nothing that I asked for-but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
-Anonymous

Do you have to be Christian to go to heaven?

Of course not.
Although it certainly does help to be put on the right path, Christianity is not the only path to heaven. As pointed out before, where would that leave unborn babies or people who have never even heard of Christ? That said, it's not as though I know who and who does not go to heaven. I can't just say, "Oh, well, that kid was mean to me so he can forget heaven." No. Only God is the judge of who is and who is not worthy of heaven. And lucky for us, He's the perfect judge.
HOWEVER- It's not as if you can be a completely horrible person, and a Christian, and still expect to live in eternal splendor. First of all, obviously you're not being Christian if you're being horrible. And second of all, it's not who you are that determines your ticket to heaven, but what you do. The actions that we make every day determine whether we deserve heaven. Avoiding sin, aiding the poor, and just being good people in general is what God wants us to do. Love. And if you truly love everyone, then you will get to heaven.

What is the Church's view on evolution?

Evolution happened.
The story of Adam and Eve is just that- a story. The Bible contains multiple parables that teach certain morals and lessons. The story of Adam and Eve is one such parable. And if someone absolutely refuses to believe in evolution because of the Bible, then kindly point them to the teachings of John Paul II. He believed in evolution, and he was the Pope!

So why is the Christian Church so against contraception?

One would think that because the Church is so against abortions, that it would agree with or even promote contraception. After all, killing a baby is so much worse than just preventing a baby from ever coming into existence. So why the anti-contraception movement?
Well, in an ideal world, people love each other and only have sex when they are married. These people who have sex are fully prepared to accept parenthood and would love to have a baby. Contraception promotes the opposite of this ideal world in the following ways:
- contraception promotes the idea that people can have sex without love, because if there is no chance of a child, then it is easier to sleep around
- contraception enables people can have sex before they are married because they do not have to worry about conceiving and being prepared for children
- contraception treats children as a disease to be prevented instead of a blessing that comes with sex
In this way, contraception breaks down the teachings of the Church and our God. Though this is true, it is not as though contraception is always evil.
Because our world is not ideal.
So if contraception must be used, then use common sense. Obviously contraception is superior to abortion. Obviously there is leeway and interpretation to take into account during certain cases. For example: What if you are a married woman, but you aren't prepared to have children? Though the Church would rather you treat children like a blessing and a gift, there are special cases which prevent woman from safely having children. Whether the mother had clinical issues or the family cannot support another child, sometimes contraception is alright. Sometimes contraception can even be the best choice.
But before deciding on contraception, pray. If a person prays, researches, talks to their religious leader, and tries as hard as he/she can to review all options, then perhaps somehow contraception can be avoided. But if contraception is the only option, then so be it. God is not going to hate you for choosing the best option; He is loving and caring and compassionate. He will understand if contraception is the best choice.

So what do Christians define abortion as?

Basically, if something has the natural capacity for human life, and is killed, then that is abortion. It doesn't matter what stage of life a fetus is in; as soon as the sperm and the egg connect there is life, and taking that life away causes death. Some argue that there is no difference between a bunch of human cells and a bunch of plant cells or animal cells- but there is an enormous difference. If you leave a bunch of animal cells alone, will they develop into a human? If you wait a year watching plant cells, will they eventually become a human baby? No. Contraception that prevents a sperm and an egg from connecting is true contraception. Contraception that kills a baby in its first stages of life is abortion.