Pope BenedictPope Benedict

Monthly Prayer Intentions

December 2011
General Intention: That the nations of the earth, through knowledge and mutual respect, may grow in harmony and peace.
Missionary Intention: That children and young people may be messengers of the Gospel and that their dignity may always be respected and preserved from all violence and exploitation.

JANUARY 2012
General Intention: Victims of Natural Disasters.
That the victims of natural disasters may receive the spiritual and material comfort they need to rebuild their lives.
Missionary Intention: Dedication to Peace.
That the dedication of Christians to peace may bear witness to the name of Christ before all men and women of good will.

February 2012
General Intention: Access to Water.
That all peoples may have access to water and other resources needed for daily life.
Missionary Intention: Health Workers.
That the Lord may sustain the efforts of health workers assisting the sick and elderly in the world's poorest regions.

March 2012
General Intention: Contribution of Women. That the whole world may recognize the contribution of women to the development of society.
Missionary Intention: Persecuted Christians. That the Holy Spirit may grant perseverance to those who suffer discrimination, persecution, or death for the name of Christ, particularly in Asia.

April 2012
General Intention: Vocations. That many young people may hear the call of Christ and follow him in the priesthood and religious life.
Missionary Intention: Christ, Hope for Africans. That the risen Christ may be a sign of certain hope for the men and women of the African continent.

May 2012
General Intention: The Family. That initiatives which defend and uphold the role of the family may be promoted within society. .
Missionary Intention: Mary, Guide of Missionaries. That Mary, Queen of the World and Star of Evangelization, may accompany all missionaries in proclaiming her Son Jesus.

June 2012
General Intention: Christ, Present in the Eucharist. That believers may recognize in the Eucharist the living presence of the Risen One who accompanies them in daily life.
Missionary Intention: European Christians. That Christians in Europe may rediscover their true identity and participate with greater enthusiasm in the proclamation of the Gospel.

July 2012
General Intention: Work Security. That everyone may have work in safe and secure conditions.
Missionary Intention: Christian Volunteers. That Christian volunteers in mission territories may witness to the love of Christ.

August 2012
General Intention: That prisoners may be treated with justice and respect for their human dignity
Missionary Intention: Youth Witness to Christ. That young people, called to follow Christ, may be willing to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

September 2012
General Intention: That politicians may always act with honesty, integrity, and love for the truth.
Missionary Intention: Help for the Poorest Churches. That Christian communities may have a growing willingness to send missionaries, priests, and lay people, along with concrete resources, to the poorest Churches.

October 2012
General Intention: New Evangelization. That the New Evangelization may progress in the oldest Christian countries.
Missionary Intention: World Mission Day. That the celebration of World Mission Day may result in a renewed commitment to evangelization.

November 2012
General Intention: Ministers of the Gospel. That bishops, priests, and all ministers of the Gospel may bear the courageous witness of fidelity to the crucified and risen Lord.
Missionary Intention: Pilgrim Church. That the pilgrim Church on earth may shine as a light to the nations.

December 2012
General Intention: That migrants throughout the world may be welcomed with generosity and authentic love, especially by Christian communities.
Missionary Intention: Christ, light for all humanity. That Christ may reveal himself to all humanity with the light that shines forth from Bethlehem and is reflected in the face of his Church.


                                                                                          ...  From the Vatican

 

"In public discussions of the papacy, in a culture where even church-members are religiously illiterate, it seems almost impossible to get beyond the 'bottom lines' - will the pope agree to ordain women, rescind the teaching on birth control, accept homosexuality?  Advice as to what the new pope 'must' do is often proffered by people who have scarcely an elementary knowledge of Catholic doctrine, and who in fact cannot understand why we should have a pope at all.  Critics of the new pope (as well as the previous one) in effect demand that he simply conform the church to modern culture.

Pope Benedict XVI, one of the most important Catholic theologians of the late 20th century, was intellectually the best qualified man to be pope, and he defines his role in a way exactly opposite to that of his critics - a confrontation with modern culture in order to assert the primacy of the Gospel in all aspects of human affairs.  Such a confrontation need not be abrasive, although it may often have to be, but it does recognize that the values of the world are in many ways in fundamental conflict with the Gospel and that the world always needs redemption." James Hitchcock

"Friends, again I ask you, what about today?  What are you seeking?  What is God whispering to you?  The hope which never disappoints is Jesus Christ.  The saints show us the selfless love of His way.  As disciples of Christ, their extraordinary journeys unfolded within the community of hope, which is the Church.  It is from within the Church that you too will find the courage and support to walk the way of the Lord.  Nourished by personal prayer, prompted in silence, shaped by the Church's liturgy you will discover the particular vocation God has for you.  Embrace it with joy.  You are Christ's disciples today.  Shine His light upon this great city and beyond.  Show the world the reason for the hope that resonates within you.  Tell others about the truth that sets you free."  Holy Father Benedict XVI

"Only where God is seen does life truly begin.  Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is.  We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.  Each of us is the result of a thought of God.  Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.  There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ.  There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him."  Holy Father Benedict XVI