- Cindy Wooden (Vatican City, CNS). This is the first time that the Pope's voice appears, along with images of him, in 'The Pope Video' (''The Pope Video'').The Pope's Video'), and the central message, at 2' 17", is that the world may grow in compassion.
"Let us pray that each of us may find comfort in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from his heart, learn to have compassion for the world," the Pope prays in English in his first contribution to 'The Pope video,' a monthly reflection published by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network.
The newly released video also includes an original sentence that people can recite daily during the month, which is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. "Lord, today I come to your tender Heart (...) You showed us the love of the Father by loving us without measure with your divine and human heart," the prayer says.
"A mission of compassion for the world."
"Grant to all your children the grace to find you. Change, shape and transform our plans, so that we seek you alone in all circumstances: in prayer, at work, in encounters and in our daily routine," the prayer continues. "From this encounter, send us on a mission, a mission of compassion for the world in which You are the source from which all consolation flows."
The Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, formerly known as the Apostleship of Prayer, is a global movement of people who commit each day to pray for the Pope's intentions. Jesuit Father Cristobal Fones, director of the prayer network, said Pope Leo's intention "focuses on growing in compassion for the world through a personal relationship with Jesus."
Unconditional love of Jesus for all
"As we cultivate this truly close relationship, our hearts become more attuned to theirs. We grow in love and mercy, and we had better learn what compassion is," Father Fones said. "Jesus manifested unconditional love for everyone, especially the poor, the sick and the suffering. The Pope encourages us to imitate this compassionate love by extending a hand to those in need."
In a statement accompanying the video, Father Fones also noted that during the Holy Year 2025, "'The Pope's Video' takes on a special relevance, since through it we know the prayer intentions that the Pope has in his heart. To properly receive the graces of the Jubilee indulgence, it is necessary to pray for the Pope's intentions."
Devotion to the Heart of Jesus
The prayer network also reported how four Popes have dedicated encyclicals to the devotion of Catholics to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
"Pope Leo XIII, whose name the present Pope took, wrote 'Annum Sacrum' in 1899, in which he consecrated all humanity to the Heart of Jesus. In 1928, Pope Pius XI, in 'Miserentissimus Redentor,' invited us to make reparation through acts of love for the wounds our sins inflict on the Heart of Christ," the network said.
"For his part, Pope Pius XII published 'Haurietis Aquas.' in 1956, in which he explores the theological basis of devotion to the Sacred Heart," he added. And "finally, the Pope Francis’ wrote 'Dilexit nos' in 2024, and proposed the devotion to the Heart of Christ as a response to the throwaway culture and the culture of indifference".
