If I may quote the Council of Trent, who said it beautifully:

Prayer Honours God:

The first fruit which we receive is that by praying we honour God, since prayer is a certain act of religion, which is compared in Scripture to a sweet perfume. Let my prayer, says the Prophet, be directed as incense in thy sight. By prayer we confess our subjection to God; we acknowledge and proclaim Him to be the author of all good, in whom alone we center all our hopes, who alone is our refuge, in all dangers and the bulwark of our salvation. Of this fruit we are admonished also in these words: Call upon me in the day of trouble; I ­will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Prayer Obtains What We Request: Another most pleasing and invaluable fruit of prayer is that it is heard by God. Prayer is the key of heaven, says St. Augustine; prayer ascends, and the mercy of God descends. High as are the heavens, and low as is the earth, God hears the voice of man. Such is the utility, such the efficacy of prayer, that through it we obtain a plenitude of heavenly gifts. Thus by prayer we secure the guidance and aid of the Holy Spirit, the security and preservation of the faith, deliverance from punishment, divine protection under temptation, victory over the devil. In a word, there is in prayer an accumulation of spiritual joy; and hence our Lord said: Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.

I would also add that for me, prayer is not about talking to a cosmic Santa/Fairy God Mother, but instead is about speaking with One who loves me, and Who knows me better than I know myself. One who knows what I need better than I do.

So I believe that every prayer of mine is answered...

Sometimes the answer is yes... Sometimes it is not now.... Sometimes it is "No, yor tour prayer violates the free will of others" Sometines it is "No, that will harm you." And sometimes what I pray for is not within God's will, and I get a most emphatic NO!!

And I do admit I am not always able to accept when God clearly says NO!!

Ninure