Theological Study of the Role of the Holy Spirit as the Antithesis of Liberal Theology

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FORMOSA NEWS - Philippines - Awareness Prayer Helps Grade 6 Students Develop Gratitude and Spiritual Reflection, Study Finds.  The findings were revealed in research by Eva Mae A. Canoy, Shylene Marie T. Lumbab, and Rachell Anne M. Taneo from Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu, published in the Indonesian Journal of Christian Education and Theology in 2026. The study highlights that although prayer is a central part of Christian life, many students experience it as a routine activity that lacks personal meaning. Awareness Prayer was introduced as an alternative approach designed to encourage reflection, mindfulness, and deeper spiritual engagement among learners.

Background: When Prayer Becomes Routine

Prayer is traditionally understood as a personal and communal communication with God. In Christian spirituality, prayer allows individuals to express gratitude, seek guidance, and deepen their relationship with the divine. However, educators have observed that in many school settings prayer is often reduced to memorized formulas recited quickly at the beginning of class. This routine approach can limit students’ ability to reflect on God’s presence and reduce the emotional and spiritual impact of prayer. Previous studies have noted that students sometimes participate in prayer physically but not spiritually. As a result, prayer can feel mechanical rather than meaningful. These concerns encouraged educators at Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu to introduce a more reflective form of prayer in their Christian Life Formation (CLF) classes. Beginning in the 2023–2024 school year, teachers introduced Awareness Prayer, inspired by the Ignatian Examen of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a spiritual practice that encourages individuals to reflect on their daily experiences and recognize God’s presence in all things.

How Awareness Prayer Works 
The Awareness Prayer begins with a short mindfulness exercise to help students calm their minds and prepare for reflection. The process follows a simplified structure often summarized through the “5Rs” framework: 

1. Relish remembering the good moments and blessings experienced during the day.
   
2. Request asking the Holy Spirit for guidance while reviewing daily experiences.
   
3. Review reflecting on the events of the day and recognizing both blessings and challenges.
   
4. Repent acknowledging mistakes and asking for forgiveness.
   
5. Resolve making a commitment to improve actions and intentions for the next day.
   

The prayer concludes with the recitation of the “Glory Be”, emphasizing gratitude and praise to the Triune God. This reflective routine is intended to help students move beyond memorized prayers and engage more personally with their faith.

Research Method

The researchers used a descriptive research design to examine how Grade 6 students perceive and experience Awareness Prayer in their CLF classes.
The study involved 185 Grade 6 pupils enrolled in the 2024–2025 school year. Data were collected using: 

1. A researcher-designed questionnaire.
2. Interviews with selected students.

The questionnaire measured students’ perceptions of the prayer in terms of awareness, gratitude, reflection, and resolution, as well as their physical, mental, and emotional-spiritual experiences during the prayer routine. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Key Findings of the Study
The study identified several important outcomes of the Awareness Prayer practice.

Gratitude is the dominant spiritual response
Students strongly associated the prayer with feelings of gratitude toward God. Many respondents reported that the activity helped them recall blessings and express thankfulness. Some pupils shared that the prayer allowed them to review their day and remember how God had helped them. This reflection strengthened their sense of connection with God.

Awareness Prayer encourages reflection and self-evaluation
Students reported that the prayer helped them reflect on their actions, emotions, and decisions throughout the day. Through this reflection, they became more aware of behaviors that needed improvement. Several students explained that the prayer helped them recognize their mistakes and encouraged them to seek forgiveness and change their behavior.

Mindfulness and breathing exercises improve focus
The most common experiences reported by students during the prayer included:

1. Practicing mindful breathing.
2. Focusing their thoughts.
3. Thanking God for blessings.
4. Speaking to God sincerely from the heart.
5. Expressing worries or concerns through prayer.

These practices helped students calm their minds and prepare for a more meaningful conversation with God.

Some students still struggle with deeper reflection
Despite the positive outcomes, the study found that many students had difficulty pausing and imagining God’s presence or engaging in deeper reflection. This suggests that younger learners may require more guidance to develop advanced reflective and spiritual skills.

Implications for Education and Spiritual Formation
The study emphasizes that structured reflection practices like Awareness Prayer can play an important role in students’ spiritual development.
For young learners, reflective prayer helps cultivate:

1. GFratitude and emotional awareness.
2. Mindfulness and inner calm.
3. Moral reflection and personal growth.
4. A stronger personal relationship with God.

By encouraging students to pause, reflect, and express their thoughts and feelings, Awareness Prayer promotes both spiritual formation and emotional well-being. The researchers recommend that schools continue implementing Awareness Prayer in Christian Life Formation classes while also providing teachers with training to guide students in reflective prayer practices.

Author Profiles

Eva Mae A. Canoy is an educator at Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu, Whose research focuses on Christian education and spiritual formation among students.
Shylene Marie T. Lumbab is also affiliated with Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu, with interests in faith formation and student spiritual development.
Rachell Anne M. Taneo is a researcher and educator engaged in studies related to prayer practices and holistic education in Catholic schools.

Source of Research
Eva Mae A. Canoy, Shylene Marie T. Lumbab, dan Rachell Anne M. Taneo. Perceptions and Experiences of Grade 6 Pupils on the Awareness Prayer. Indonesian Journal of Christian Education and Theology (IJCET), Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 89–98. 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijcet.v5i1.8
URL:  https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/ijcet/index