If anyone is covered by the grace and armored protection of prayer, the Holy Father must be at the top of the list, right? Every Mass includes prayers for him. We offer the first Our Father bead of the rosary for his intentions. And praying for the pope is one of the three requirements of a plenary indulgence.
Yet now, more than ever, the Holy Father needs our prayers. Here are five reasons why it’s crucial that both Catholics and non-Catholic Christians join their hearts and voices to pray for the Pontiff.
1 – His Extraordinary Role
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
John 10:16, ESV
As the successor of St. Peter, the Holy Father leads, sanctifies, and governs the church of Rome and, by extension, the entire body of Christ.
His extended leadership was evident in the early church. Peter leads the Apostles in the book of Acts. Pope Clement of Rome, a contemporary of original apostles, wrote a letter to the Christians in Corinth encouraging them as they lived out their faith and affirming the authority of Rome to appoint leaders in the Corinthian church.
Vatican I reaffirms ecumenical teaching regarding the pontiff’s role as the leader of all Christians:
We promulgate anew the definition of the ecumenical Council of Florence [49], which must be believed by all faithful Christians, namely that the “holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff hold a world-wide primacy, and that the Roman Pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter, the prince of the apostles, true vicar of Christ, head of the whole Church and father and teacher of all Christian people. (Pastor Aeternus, Vatican I)
Let us pray for receptivity and docility to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Father continues to govern the church, appoint its leaders, and teach the faith handed down from the apostles.
2 – Mission [Not] Impossible
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
John 21:17 ESV
The Holy Father has an extraordinary Global Mission.
Pope Benedict XVI, writing as Cardinal Ratzinger, tells us that the Church, from its beginning, has understood that just as there is a succession of the first apostles from bishop to bishop, there is a succession of the ministry entrusted to Peter, our first pope.
What is the mission of that ministry? It is nothing short of leading all Christians in unity and bringing all mankind to salvation through Christ in imitation of the Savior via a path of poverty, obedience, service, and self-sacrifice.
Vatican II summarizes the mission activity of the Church in the decree Ad gentes:
The mission of the Church, therefore, is fulfilled by that activity which makes her, obeying the command of Christ and influenced by the grace and love of the Holy Spirit, fully present to all men or nations, in order that, by the example of her life and by her preaching, by the sacraments and other means of grace, she may lead them to the faith, the freedom and the peace of Christ; that thus there may lie open before them a firm and free road to full participation in the mystery of Christ … This duty, to be fulfilled by the order of bishops, under the successor of Peter and with the prayers and help of the whole Church, is one and the same everywhere and in every condition, even though it may be carried out differently according to circumstances. (Ad gentes, 1965)
Let us pray for Our Lord to guide the Holy Father in his worldwide mission to restore all people to Christ.
3 – The Struggle of Human Imperfection
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
Luke 22:32, ESV
Every pope must fulfill the role of Vicar of Christ without having reached the perfection of Christ or His Blessed Mother. Past popes, in their humanity have succumbed to fear, concupiscence, and the influence of secular culture, bringing scandal to the Vatican. Our first pope, St. Peter, denied Our Lord three times and abandoned Him at the foot of the cross.
Prayer allows us to cooperate with and support the Holy Father in his work. When the popes abandoned Rome for the worldly influences of Avignon in the 1300s, the prayers and sacrifices of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Bridget of Sweden helped to bring the seat of the papacy back to Rome. After his election, Pope St. John Paul II brought holy nuns from Poland to pray for him (and keep him supplied with delicious Polish food and fresh goat’s milk).
Now, as in the past, the prayers of the faithful play an important role in strengthening the Vicar of Christ on Earth. Like St. Peter, the Holy Father is imperfect and must continually grow in holiness and as a pastor. In his November 2023 request for monthly prayer intentions, Pope Francis spoke of his own humanity:
The person becomes aware of what it means to be a pastor. And in this process, he learns how to be more charitable, more merciful, and, above all, more patient, like God our Father, who is so patient. I can imagine that at the beginning of their pontificate, all the Popes had this feeling of trepidation, apprehension, knowing that he will be judged harshly. For the Lord will ask us Bishops to give a serious account. (“For the Pope” – The Pope Video 11 – November 2023)
Let us pray for the Holy Father to be strengthened in Charity and Patience.
4 – Protection vs Powerful Adversaries
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18, ESV
Christ, who established His church on the rock of St. Peter, promised His disciples the gates of hell would not prevail against that church. As promised, the church has survived extreme opposition at the hands of its enemies.
Popes and clergy suffered under emperors and revolutionaries. St. Fabian (236-250) was arrested and martyred under Decius. Pope Sixtus II was beheaded during Mass under the rule of Valerian. Popes Pius VI and VII were kidnapped by Napoleon and Pius VI died in captivity.
Though the faith is practiced openly in most countries, the struggle continues. Even a cursory glance at the daily headlines reveals a church straining against cultural norms, embroiled in crisis, and weakened by internal conflict.
- Anti-Christian governments, movements, war, and religious oppression create obstacles to the Church’s work of spreading the Gospel, serving the faithful, and assisting those in need
- Church leaders must navigate the intricacies of protection and cooperation across political and ideologial boundaries in countries that oppress the faith
- Competing ideologies in the media and even inside the church shape the words of the holy Father to conform to their ideals
- Pilgrims, visitors, organization and state representatives place demands on the schedule and attention of the Holy Father
- The Holy Father continues to keep an active schedule in spite of health challenges and advanced age
- Catholic politicians openly contradict the faith in public policy
Add to that the development of generative AI language models that prioritize information based on changing databases and models in a culture that now accepts social posts as trusted news sources (vs interviews with subject matter experts and policy makers).
Let us pray for the spiritual and physical protection of the Holy Father. May he stand strong in the virtues of Wisdom, Prudence, and Fortitude. May the Holy Spirit guide him as he helps the Church stand firm against the forces of the opposition.
5 – Communication Obfuscation
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV
If you’ve found reports about the Holy Father’s publications and addresses to be unclear, inconsistent, or even disturbing, you’re not alone.
While the first of the four marks of the Church (one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic) points to unity, communication about the Church does not. Distortion, misrepresentation, and lack of coverage in both Catholic and Secular media have increased both confusion and dissension among Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Word and actions reflecting compassion and a desire to reach out to those in most need of Christ’s grace are often misunderstood, misinterpreted, or unclear. And mass communication is subject to the bias of unfriendly editors, executives, and search engine algorithms. Add to that emotionally-charged headlines designed to capture viewer response.
Media channels along a wide span of doctrinal and political lines are affected, from secular news sources to Catholic channels which claim to promote orthodoxy. Take, for example, these headlines related to a frequently-seen topic:
- ‘Thrilled’ by pope’s stance on gays, LGBT groups now wait for action
- Pope Charts New Ground On Gay Priests And Women
- Pope Francis has declared war on faithful Catholics
What are readers to conclude? Headlines notwithstanding, the Holy Father did not change Catholic teaching on marriage or chastity. He has expressed love for all with an invitation to draw close to Christ and live according to His teaching.
Of this we can be certain: the Holy Father, like Christ, has a heart for the lost sheep. In his recent memoir, the Pope Francis writes: “I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners.” And that means all of us, because we are all sinners.
If you are a journalist, write your best hooks. Craft the clickable emotive headlines. Tell the truth, whether it brings celebration or concern. And please respect the office of the Holy Father, even if you disagree with his decisions.
Let us pray for the Holy Father in all his communications — their formation, delivery, and dissemination.
A Call to One Small Action
You may not be called to move to Rome like the Polish nuns, spend hours in meditation like the Carmelites, or write hundreds of letters like St. Bridget or St. Catherine.
However, you can do something extraordinary — with a bit of heavenly help. You can pause to offer a prayer for the Holy Father. Join us in our mission to offer up one million rosaries for the Holy Father.
15 minutes: Could our Lord could be calling you to offer a rosary for the Holy Father? Join us in our quest to offer one million rosaries for the Pope. Together, we place the Holy Father in the hands of Our Lady, entreating her to pray for wisdom, physical health and spriritual protection.
Pray on your own, pray with a group, or pray with us LIVE online. For more information, email info@prayfortheholyfather.com.
10 seconds: Pray this prayer for the Holy Father (if you’re in a state of grace, you get a partial indulgence):
Let us pray for Francis, our pope. May the Lord protect him and grant him length of days. Amen. May the Lord be his shield and deliver him from all harm. Amen. May the Lord give him happiness and peace all the days of his life. Amen. (Handbook of Indulgences, 1986 edition, USCCB)
5 seconds: When compaints and confusion arise in conversation, you can share news sources (scroll down to the Resource section of our Home Page for suggestions) which strive to accurately report the words of the Holy Father.
3 seconds: If you hear someone criticizing the Holy Father, why not suggest praying for him? Not sure what to say? Make it easy and share a link to this website!
May Our Lord reward you for your prayers!
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