The Conor Gallagher Show How to Do Mental Prayer Like St. Francis de Sales | Fr. Christian Goduti
Mar 29, 2026
Fr. Christian Goduti, a Catholic priest and author who teaches practical mental prayer, shares a simple, lay-friendly method inspired by St. Francis de Sales. He walks through preparing the heart, meditation versus contemplation, making concrete resolutions, and adapting the practice to short moments, the rosary, and Mass. Short, practical, and accessible.
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Confession As Soul Medicine And A Narcolepsy Test
- Fr. Christian compares confession to medicine: diagnosing sin and prescribing remedies, which he finds fulfilling as a priest.
- He also shares a personal challenge: living with narcolepsy required disciplined treatment so he can serve in confession and parish life.
How An Eighth Grade Lectio Group Changed His Prayer
- Fr. Christian described his introduction to mental prayer via an eighth-grade Lectio Divina group led by a neighbor, Jean Whalen, which taught him to 'chew' on Scripture.
- That practice, combined with attending adoration with his parents, made Jesus personally real and began his interior conversion from familial faith to personal relationship.
Mental Prayer Is Chewing On God
- Mental prayer is essentially 'chewing on God' — looking at God's revealed truths so the soul can encounter him face to face.
- Fr. Christian compares it to Moses on Sinai and to Eden's cool of the evening, emphasizing prayer as a personal, relational encounter rather than rote recitation.
