1. To be very blunt about it, I'm not a big fan of prayer. Maybe I was absent from CCD the day they taught us how to do it, but I just don't feel like I'm very good it, I don't really like doing it, and frankly I'm not sure God listens to me anyway. But old Catholic habits die hard and I feel like I ought to pray, so can you help me find more meaning in it?

2. I'm a new mom with an 8 month old baby, and let's just say she's very vocal. I've always gone to church and would like to continue, but I'm really afraid that my daughter makes it impossible for other people to pay attention and probably annoys the priest. Is it okay to bring her, or should I try to find a babysitter every Sunday until she can keep quiet?

1. Does personifying God help or hurt our ability to better understand him/her/it/them? Or is it just the best we have in terms of metaphors?

2. I was raised Catholic, but in my experience "Church" often feels more like a political party than anything else. I want to know God, but I feel like I'm more likely to find Him on my own than in a so-called worshipping community. Am I missing something?