I hear people talking about meditation and contemplation. Are they the same thing? Is there a difference? What are they talking about? - Jenny

Dear Jenny,

"Some people do use [those words] interchangeably.  But in the more precise language of spiritual theology, they are distinct.   
"Meditation is a type of prayer wherein our experience of God is [facilitated] in some way, usually by means of a text, a work of art or simply our memory or imagination interacting with our understanding.  We think about something that then inspires our affections for God.   
"Contemplation describes a prayer that is deeper and more directly attentive to God without the [help of special] words or images or ... thinking.  It is ... heart speaking to heart.   It is a loving, simple and fixed attention of the soul on God. ..."Our Sunday Visitor, Vol 104, No 31, November 29, 2015, Pastoral Answers by Msgr. Charles Pope, page 15