Pope Francis has appointed Chilean Jesuit priest Cristóbal Fones as the new international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Fr. Fones will succeed Fr. Frédéric Fornos and will take up the post on 1 January 2025. The appointment was made following the suggestion of the Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr. Arturo Sosa.
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network is a pontifical work entrusted to the Society of Jesus, with the mission of promoting and encouraging the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intentions. The network is present in 92 countries and has over 22 million Catholic members. In a message on Facebook, Fr. Fones expressed his gratitude for the appointment and invited everyone to continue encouraging one another in the mission of compassion and service to those who suffer.
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network was founded in 1844 as the Apostleship of Prayer and was established as a Vatican foundation by Pope Francis in December 2020. The network’s mission is to mobilize Catholics through prayer and action in response to the challenges facing humanity and the mission of the Church.