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Where can you find the words when you care enough to pray the very best?
“Good and Generous God: Catholic Prayers for All Occasions” (Twenty-Third Publications, 116 pages, $14.95) written by Father John G. Hillier, is a valuable resource for those wishing to pray in a more personal, more specific manner. The book offers its readers 90 different prayers organized into five categories: for our parish community; when facing illness or struggle; for family life; for various occupations, and for a peaceful world. Each has a casual yet reverent tone, much like a conversation between a student and a teacher.
Bishop James F. Checchio, who granted his imprimatur on the book, called it “a unique opportunity for personal spiritual enrichment… an unparalleled collection of prayers that will assist in building an authentic Catholic spiritual life.”
In his introduction, Father Hillier writes about the help he received when writing his book. “I am very much aware that I am unable to compose anything worthwhile without the help of the Holy Spirit,” he said. “My words are limited, but when they are lifted up by God’s Holy Spirit, they bear much fruit for one offering the prayer, whether for themselves or for others.”
Born in Canada, Father Hillier earned a bachelor’s degree at Memorial University, Newfoundland; worked for the Department of Social Services as a Child Behavioral Therapist and was awarded certification from the Canadian Association of Pastoral Education in clinical pastoral education (CPE) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Contemplating life as a religious, he quit his job and moved to the United States, where he served as Campus Minister and Instructor at Assumption College, Worcester, Mass. He left the college to enroll at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, South Orange, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1988.
Father Hillier served in parishes throughout Massachusetts, New York City and the Diocese of Metuchen.
Following his doctoral studies at Fordham University, Bronx, N.Y., Father Hillier resumed full-time parish ministry and soon after was invited to serve as Vice Rector and Associate Professor of dogmatic theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Conn. After serving for 12 years at the seminary, the Doctor of Humane Letters was bestowed upon him for his many years of “dedicated priestly service and love for the Church.”
Currently, Father Hillier serves the Diocese of Metuchen as Director of the Office of Pontifical Mission Societies, Director of the Office for Persons with Disabilities, and Censor Librorum (reviewing manuscripts and magazine articles for doctrinal accuracy). He also ministers at St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid Parish, Far Hills-Peapack, as well as other priestly service in the diocese.
Father Hillier is also the author of “Anecdotes and Scripture Notes for All Occasions” (Twenty-third Publications, 2007, 2010) and “Breathing Life into the Church: Making Sense of Vatican II.” (2016).
Reflecting on his motivation to write his latest book, Father Hillier said, “Not unlike most priests, people have approached me over the years asking for specific prayers for a variety of reasons. So often people seek prayers dealing with matters of sickness or death or even circumstances of life like separation or divorce, prayers for special people like godparents or special events like anniversaries or the celebration of sacraments... In short, the diversity came as a result of people’s requests.
“I often tell people that any of the prayers they are especially drawn to is due to the Holy Spirit and not me,” he added. “Each time I crafted a prayer, it was always done in a setting conducive to prayer, so I like to think it was the Holy Spirit who guided me in the composition of these prayers.”
Commenting on his favorite prayers in his book, Father Hillier explained, “Like all things, my favorite prayer would mostly depend on the circumstances of life at any given time. However, I often pray the prayer for ‘Human Life,’ which, in my opinion, encompasses many aspects of life that require our prayerful attention.”
Perfectly tailored to Father Hillier’s twin ministries of aiding those in mission countries and those with disabilities, the prayer requests God’s assistance in opening hearts and minds and bestow precious gifts to aid those less fortunate. It requests God “give `us the courage of will to remain vigilant to the unborn, the generosity of heart to offer support to the sick, the constant desire to be present to the elderly, the abundance of love to be committed to the disabled, and the perseverance to work and find the lost and forgotten.”
