VATICAN - Intentions of the Holy Father for 2009

Friday, 8 February 2008

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Here we publish the list of Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer intentions for the year 2009.

January
General: That the family may become more and more a place of training in
charity, personal growth and transmission of the faith.
Mission: That the different Christian confessions, aware of the need for a
new evangelisation in this period of profound transformations, may
be committed to announcing the Good News and moving towards
the full unity of all Christians in order to offer a more credible
testimony of the Gospel.

February
General: That the Pastors of the Church may always be docile to the action
of the Holy Spirit in their teaching and in their service to God's
people.
Mission: That the Church in Africa may find adequate ways and means to
promote reconciliation, justice and peace efficaciously, according
to the indications of the Synod of the Bishops’ Special Assembly
for Africa.

March
General: That the role of women may be more appreciated and used to good
advantage in every country in the world.
Mission: That in the light of the letter addressed to them by Pope Benedict
XVI, the Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and lay faithful of
the Catholic Church in the Popular Republic of China may commit
themselves to being the sign and instrument of unity, communion and peace.

April
General: That the Lord may bless the farmers with an abundant
harvest and sensitise the richer populations to the drama of hunger
in the world
Mission: That the Christians who work in areas where the conditions of the poor, the weak and the women and children are most tragic, may be signs of hope, thanks to their courageous testimony to the Gospel of solidarity and love.

May
General: That the laity and the Christian communities may be responsible
promoters of priestly and religious vocations.
Mission: That the recently founded Catholic Churches, grateful to the Lord
for the gift of faith, may be ready to share in the universal mission
of the Church, offering their availability to preach the Gospel
throughout the world.

June
General: That international attention towards the poorer countries may give
rise to more concrete help, in particular to relieve them of the
crushing burden of foreign debt.
Mission: That the particular Churches operating in regions marked by
violence may be sustained by the love and concrete closeness of all
the Catholics in the world.

July
General: That the Christians of the Middle East may live their faith in full freedom and be an instrument of peace and reconciliation.
Mission: That the Church may be the seed and nucleus of a humanity reconciled and reunited in God's one and only family, thanks to the testimony of all the faithful in every country in the world.

August
General: That public opinion may be more aware of the problem of millions
of displaced persons and refugees and that concrete solutions may
be found for their often tragic situation.
Mission: That those Christians who are discriminated against and persecuted
in many Countries because of the name of Christ may have their
human rights, equality and religious freedom recognised, in order
to be able to live and profess their own faith freely.

September
General: That the word of God may be better known, welcomed and lived
as the source of freedom and joy.
Mission: That Christians in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, who often meet
with great difficulties, may not be discourage from announcing
the Gospel to their brothers, trusting in the strength of the Holy
Spirit.

October
General: That Sunday may be lived as the day on which Christians gather to
celebrate the risen Lord, participating in the Eucharist.
Mission: That the entire People of God, to whom Christ entrusted the
mandate to go and preach the Gospel to every creature, may
eagerly assume their own missionary responsibility and consider it
the highest service they can offer humanity.

November
General: That all the men and women in the world, especially those who
have responsibilities in the field of politics and economics, may
never fail in their commitment to safeguard creation.
Mission: That believers in the different religions, through the testimony of
their lives and fraternal dialogue, may clearly demonstrate that the
name of God is a bearer of peace.

December
General: That children may be respected and loved and never be the victims
of exploitation in its various forms.
Mission: That at Christmas the peoples of the earth may recognise in the
Word Incarnate the light which illuminates every man and that the
Nations may open their doors to Christ, the Saviour of the world.
From the Vatican, December 31, 2007
(Agenzia Fides 8/2/2008; righe 100, parole 771)


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