Pope Leo XIV releases his prayer intention for the month of April, and invites Catholics to pray for priests who are facing a personal crisis in their vocation.
By Devin Watkins Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholics across the globe to join him in April in praying for priests in crisis. He released the monthly “Pray with the Pope” video on Tuesday, which is prepared by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. In his prayer, the Pope entrusted all priests into the Father’s hands, especially those going through moments of crisis, “when loneliness weighs heavily, when doubt clouds their hearts, and when exhaustion seems stronger than hope.” God, he said, knows their struggles and wounds as they seek to accept His unconditional love as “humble and cherished disciples” and not as “mere functionaries or lonely heroes.” “Good Father, teach us as a community to care for our priests: to listen without judging, to give thanks without demanding perfection, to share with them the baptismal mission of proclaiming the Kingdom in word and deed, and to accompany them with closeness and sincere prayer,” prayed the Pope. He invited Catholics to support the men who “so often support us.” Pope Leo prayed that the Holy Spirit may “rekindle in our priests the joy of the Gospel.” “Grant them healthy friendships, networks of fraternal support, a sense of humor when things don’t go as expected, and the grace to always rediscover the beauty of their vocation,” he said. “May they never lose trust in You,” he concluded, “nor the joy of serving your Church with a humble and generous heart.” Sustaining the men who sustain our faith In a press release accompanying the video, Fr. Cristóbal Fones, international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, said the intention to pray for priests is particularly close to Pope Leo XIV’s heart. “It is essential to remember how important human accompaniment, sincere friendship and, above all, prayer support are,” said Fr. Fones. “Priests need to know that they are not alone.” Like all people, priests too are fragile men who need to receive mercy, closeness, and understanding, noted the press release. In addition to community life, priests should feel supported by their communities and the prayer of their flocks, and the Pope’s prayer intention for April offers Catholics an opportunity to offer our spiritual support. Pray with the Pope Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd and companion on the journey, today we place in your hands all priests, especially those going through moments of crisis, when loneliness weighs heavily, when doubt clouds their hearts, and when exhaustion seems stronger than hope. You who know their struggles and wounds, renew in them the certainty of your unconditional love. Let them feel they are not mere functionaries or lonely heroes, but beloved sons, humble and cherished disciples, and pastors sustained by the prayer of their people. Good Father, teach us as a community to care for our priests: to listen without judging, to give thanks without demanding perfection, to share with them the baptismal mission of proclaiming the Kingdom in word and deed, and to accompany them with closeness and sincere prayer. May we support those who so often support us. Holy Spirit, rekindle in our priests the joy of the Gospel. Grant them healthy friendships, networks of fraternal support, a sense of humor when things don’t go as expected, and the grace to always rediscover the beauty of their vocation. May they never lose trust in You, nor the joy of serving your Church with a humble and generous heart. Amen.