The Vatican Press Office announced that, in this month of November 2023, Pope Francis asks in his prayer intentions that people pray for him.
The Holy Father’s prayer intention is: “ For the Pope. Let us pray for the Pope so that in the exercise of his mission he continues to accompany in faith the flock entrusted to him, with the help of the Holy Spirit.”
In the video published this October 31, the eve of the Solemnity of All Saints, the Pontiff exhorts us to ask “the Lord to bless me. Your prayer gives me strength and helps me to discern and accompany the Church by listening to the Holy Spirit.”
“Just because you are Pope, you do not lose your humanity. On the contrary, my humanity grows more every day with the faithful holy people of God. Because being Pope is also a process,” he continues.
The Holy Father then points out that “one becomes aware of what it means to be a pastor. And in this process he learns to be more charitable, more merciful and, above all, more patient, as is our Father God, who is so patient.”
“I can imagine that all the Popes, at the beginning of their pontificate, had that feeling of fear, vertigo, of someone who knows that they are going to be judged harshly. Because the Lord is going to seriously ask us bishops to account,” he continues.
The Holy Father also states: “Please, I ask you to judge with benevolence. And let them pray that the Pope, whoever he is, today it is my turn, receives the help of the Holy Spirit, is docile to that help.”
“Let us pray for the Pope so that in the exercise of his mission he continues to accompany in faith the flock entrusted to him by Jesus, and always with the help of the Holy Spirit.”
“And pray for me. In favor”, he concludes.