Pope’s Intentions and Videos 2023
Pope's Intentions and Videos (2023)
... joining our hands in prayer
We post the text and video links of the monthly prayer intentions of Pope Francis here as they are published.
December 2023 Prayer Intention: for People with Disabilities
We pray that people living with disabilities: may they be at the center of attention in society and that institutions may offer inclusive programs which value their active participation.
1.
People with disabilities are among the most fragile among us.
Some of them suffer rejection, rooted in either ignorance or prejudice, which marginalizes them.
Civil institutions need to support their projects through access to education, employment, and places where they can express their creativity.
2.
Programs and initiatives are needed that promote their inclusion.
Above all else, big hearts are needed who want to accompany.
It means changing our mentality a little and opening ourselves to the abilities and talents of those people who are differently abled, both in society as well as in the life of the Church.
And so, creating a completely accessible parish does not only mean eliminating physical barriers.
It also means that we stop talking about “them” and start talking about “us”.
Let us pray that people with disabilities may be at the center of attention in society, and that institutions offer inclusion programs that enhance their active participation.
November 2023 Prayer Intention: for the Pope
We pray for the Holy Father as he fulfills his mission, may he continue to accompany the flock entrusted to him with the help of the Holy Spirit.
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October 2023 Prayer Intention: for the Synod
We pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a lifestyle at every level, and allow herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the peripheries of the world.
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September 2023 Prayer Intention: for People Living on the Margins
We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.
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August 2023 Prayer Intention: for World Youth Day
We pray the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help young people to live and witness the Gospel in their own lives.
1.
When I go to church in my neighbourhood, I see only old people. Is the Church only for old people?
The Church is not an old people’s club any more than it is a youth club. If it becomes something for old people, it will die. Saint John Paul II said that if you live with young people, you become young yourself. The Church needs young people so that it doesn’t grow old.
2.
Dear Pope Francis, Why did you choose the theme Mary arose and went with haste for this WYD?
Because as soon as Mary knew she was going to be the mother of God, she didn’t stay there taking a selfie or showing off. The first thing she did was to set out on a journey: in haste, to serve, to help. You, too, can learn from her to set out on a journey to help others.
3.
What is your hope for WYD in Lisbon?
In Lisbon, I would like to see a seed for the world’s future. A world where love is at the center, where we can sense that we are brothers and sisters. We are at war; we need something else. A world that is not afraid of witnessing the Gospel. A joyful world – because if we Christians have no joy, we are not credible, and no one will believe us.
Let us pray that the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help us young people to set out on the journey of witnessing the Gospel with our own lives.
July 2023 Prayer Intention: for a Eucharistic Life
We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.
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June 2023 Prayer Intention: For the Abolition of Torture
We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their charisms at the service of needs in the world.
May 2023 Prayer Intention: For Ecclesial Movements & Groups
We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their charisms at the service of needs in the world.
Ecclesial movements are a gift. They are a treasure of the Church! That’s what you are!
These movements renew the Church with their capacity for dialogue at the service of her evangelizing mission.
Each day, they rediscover in their charism new ways of showing the attractiveness and the newness of the Gospel. How do we do this?
Speaking different languages, they seem different, but it is their creativity that creates these differences.
But always understanding themselves and making themselves understood, and working at the service of the Bishop and parishes to avoid any temptation to close in on themselves, which can be the danger, right?
Always be on the move, responding to the impulse of the Holy Spirit to the challenges, to the changes in today’s world.
Remain in harmony with the Church since harmony is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray that ecclesial movements and groups may daily rediscover their mission, an evangelizing mission, and that they place their own charisms at the service of the world’s needs.
Service…
April 2023 Prayer Intention: For a Non-Violent Culture
We pray for the spread of peace and non-violence by decreasing the use of weapons by countries and citizens.
Living, speaking, and acting without violence is not surrendering, losing, or giving up anything but aspiring to everything.
As Saint John XXIII said 60 years ago in his Encyclical Pacem in Terris, war is madness. It is beyond reason.
Any war, any armed confrontation, always ends in defeat for all.
Let us develop a culture of peace.
Let us remember that, even in cases of self-defense, peace is the ultimate goal; and that lasting peace can only exist without weapons.
Both in daily life and international relations, let us make non-violence a guide for our actions.
And let us pray for a more widespread culture of non-violence that will progress when countries and citizens alike resort less and less to the use of arms.
March 2023 Prayer Intention: For Victims of Abuse
We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.
In response to cases of abuse, especially those committed by members of the Church, it’s not enough to ask for forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness is necessary, but it is not enough.
Asking for forgiveness is good for the victims, but they are the ones who have to be at the center of everything.
Their pain and psychological wounds can begin to heal if they find answers and if there are concrete actions to repair the horrors they have suffered and prevent them from happening again.
The Church cannot try to hide the tragedy of abuse of any kind. Nor when the abuse takes place in families, clubs, or other types of institutions.
The Church must solve as a model to help solve the issue and bring it to light in societies and in families.
The Church must offer safe spaces for victims to be heard, supported psychologically, and protected.
Let us pray for those who have suffered because of the wrongs done to them by members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.
February 2023 Prayer Intention: For Parishes
We pray that parishes, placing communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity, and welcome towards those most in need.
Sometimes I think we could put a sign on the door of parishes that says, “Free Admission.”
Parishes should be close-knit communities, without bureaucracy, people-centered – a place where the gift of sacraments can be found.
They can become, once again, schools of service and generosity, with their doors open to those who are excluded. And to those included. To all.
Parishes are not a club for the few, which give a certain kind of social belonging.
Please, let us be daring. Let us all rethink the style of our parochial communities.
Let us pray that parishes, placing communion- a communion of people, ecclesial Communion- at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, and fraternity – welcoming the most in need.
January 2023 Prayer Intention: For Educators
We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all.
I would like to propose that educators add new content to their teaching: fraternity.
Education is an act of love that illuminates the path for us to recover a sense of fraternity, so we will not ignore those who are most vulnerable.
Educators are witnesses who not only impart their mental knowledge but also their convictions, and their commitment to life.
They know how to handle the three languages well: that of the head, that of the hands, that of the heart, all in harmony.
And hence the joy in communicating.
And they will be heeded much more attentively, and they will become community builders.
Why? Because they’re sowing this testimony.
Let us pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than confrontation and helping especially the youngest and most vulnerable above all.
The Pope's Prayer Intentions for 2023
JANUARY 2023
FOR EDUCATORS
We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all.
FEBRUARY 2023
FOR PARISHES
We pray that parishes, placing communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity, and welcome towards those most in need.
MARCH 2023
FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE
We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.
APRIL 2023
FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
We pray for the spread of peace and non-violence by decreasing the use of weapons by countries and citizens.
MAY 2023
FOR CHURCH MOVEMENTS AND GROUPS
We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their charisms at the service of needs in the world.
JUNE 2023
FOR THE ABOLITION OF TORTURE
We pray that the international community may commit in a concrete way to ensuring the abolition of torture and guaranteeing support to victims and their families.
JULY 2023
FOR A EUCHARISTIC LIFE
We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.
AUGUST 2023
FOR WORLD YOUTH DAY
We pray the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help young people to live and witness the Gospel in their own lives.
SEPTEMBER 2023
FOR PEOPLE LIVING ON THE MARGINS
We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.
OCTOBER 2023
FOR THE SYNOD
We pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a lifestyle at every level, and allow herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the peripheries of the world.
NOVEMBER 2023
FOR THE POPE
We pray for the Holy Father as he fulfills his mission, may he continue to accompany the flock entrusted to him with the help of the Holy Spirit.
DECEMBER 2023
FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
We pray that people living with disabilities: may they be at the center of attention in society and that institutions may offer inclusive programs which value their active participation.
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CREDITS
The LOGO image of Our Lady of Grace is original artwork by Martin Lariviere in 2009. We have the artist’s permission (my son). It is our exclusive trademark logo image.
A beautifully photographed sky by Donald Tong inspired the website’s colour scheme. Cropped portions of it are the background for the footer Bible verse. He shared it as a free download on pexels.com.
Raphael painted The Sistine Madonna circa (1513-1514). We made circular cut-outs from the original image.
Giorgio Galeotti gave permission to share and remix the Vatican sunset photo.
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