Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has unveiled his prayer intention for October, emphasizing the urgent need for "collaboration between different religious traditions." Through this monthly initiative, the Holy Father invites the faithful around the globe to join in prayer for greater unity among religions, with the goal of fostering peace, justice, and human fraternity.
In the latest edition of The Pope Video, the Pope opens with a heartfelt appeal: "Lord Jesus, You, who in diversity are one and look lovingly at every person, help us to recognize ourselves as brothers and sisters, called to live, pray, work, and dream together." He stresses that, while the world is full of beauty, it remains marred by divisions, and at times, religions can become sources of confrontation instead of instruments of harmony.
Pope Leo XIV calls on the faithful to ask for the Spirit’s guidance in purifying hearts, recognizing commonalities, and embracing collaboration without sowing destruction. He highlights the examples of peace, justice, and fraternity within various faith traditions as a source of inspiration, encouraging believers to trust in the possibility of coexisting and working together despite differences.
"May religions not be used as weapons or walls, but rather lived as bridges and prophecy: making the dream of the common good credible, accompanying life, sustaining hope and being the yeast of unity in a fragmented world. Amen," concludes the Holy Father, encapsulating his vision of interfaith solidarity.
The Pope Video, an official Vatican initiative coordinated by Andrea Sarubbi and produced with Coronation Media, aims to share the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions globally. Since its inception in 2016, it has garnered over 247 million views, been translated into 23 languages, and covered by press outlets in 114 countries. The initiative is part of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, a Pontifical Society dedicated to mobilizing Catholics worldwide through prayer and action in response to humanity’s challenges.
This October, Pope Leo XIV’s message resonates as a call to transform religious diversity into a force for dialogue, understanding, and shared commitment to the common good.