Pope's October Intention: "May religions be a leaven of unity".

"Let us pray that believers of different religious traditions may work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity." This is Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention for the month of October, released through The Pope's Video. 

Leo XIV prays that "in a world full of beauty, but also wounded by deep divisions, religions "may not be used as weapons or walls, but may be lived as bridges and prophecy". 

Defending and promoting peace, human brotherhood

In a time marked by conflicts, the Pope invites all believers to seek what unites, to "defend and promote peace, justice and human brotherhood".

His intention, which the Pontiff entrusts to the Pope's World Network of Prayer, invites, in a time marked by conflicts and polarization, to rediscover in religion a bridge of fraternity and a reconciling force.

Not weapons or walls, but bridges and prophecy.

The profound meaning of Pope Leo XIV's prayer is that collaboration among believers be nourished by a concrete and daily commitment that involves each one of us. In fact, the Pope prays that we learn to "recognize ourselves as brothers, called to live, pray, work and dream together". He also invokes the Spirit to "recognize what unites us" and "collaborate without destroying". 

The different religious traditions are called to be "leaven of unity in a fragmented world". And he continues, recalling that often the opposite happens: "instead of uniting us, it becomes a cause of confrontation".

The video recounts historical milestones of the interreligious journey, such as the historic meeting organized by Pope St. John Paul II in Assisi in 1986. The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the Synagogue of Rome in 2010. The signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi in 2019, under the pontificate of Pope Francis. And the most recent ecumenical meetings of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV's October prayer

For collaboration between different religious traditions.

Let us pray that believers of different religious traditions will work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity.

Lord Jesus, You who in diversity are one and look with love on each person, help us to recognize ourselves as brothers and sisters, called to live, pray, work and dream together.

We live in a world full of beauty, but also wounded by deep divisions. Sometimes, religions, instead of uniting us, become a source of confrontation.

Give us your Spirit to purify our hearts, so that we may know how to recognize what unites us and, from there, relearn to listen and collaborate without destroying.

May the concrete examples of peace, justice and fraternity in religions encourage us to believe that it is possible to live and work together, beyond differences.

May religions not be used as a weapon or a wall, but lived as bridges and prophecy. Making credible the dream of the common good, accompanying life, sustaining hope and being the leaven of unity in a fragmented world.

Amen