PRAY WITH THE POPE - April
- Notre Dame of Jerusalem
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Bianca de Mattos C.W.R.C.
April 6th - Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center
In this month of April 2026, Pope Leo XIV invites us to turn our gaze and our hearts to:
Priests who are going through moments of crisis.
Many of them silently carry the weight of loneliness, tiredness, doubts or wounds accumulated in their pastoral mission. This intention reminds us that, just as they accompany the People of God in their joys and difficulties, they also need to be sustained by the prayer, closeness and affection of the whole community.
The crisis in priestly life can be generated by different reasons and areas, from situations within their own communities or parishes (slander, envy, lack of reception, etc.) to hostile environments such as religious persecution, territories at war, etc. Likewise, crises can have multiple faces: spiritual discouragement, emotional exhaustion, misunderstanding or loss of meaning. However, in the midst of these trials, the vocation that one day led them to say "yes" to service continues to beat. This month is therefore an opportunity to renew our gratitude to them, acknowledging their generous giving and asking God to grant them comfort, strength and renewed hope.
As a Church, we are called not to be indifferent. Prayer is a concrete act of love that unites, heals and sustains. We can also offer simple gestures of closeness: a word of encouragement, sincere listening, or simply reminding them that they are not alone. Every community can become a space where priests find fraternal support and renewed encouragement to continue their mission.
Let us unite, then, in this intention of the Holy Father, praying especially for those priests who feel lost, wounded or discouraged. May the Lord sustain you with his grace, enlighten you in your decisions and restore to you the joy of serving. And may Mary, Mother of priests, always accompany them with her tenderness and protection.
Let us accompany this intention with the following prayer:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amén.
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.
Watch the video or listen to the audio prayer: https://www.popesprayer.va/praywiththepope/
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