For a shared mission

“Let us pray that the Church continue to sustain a synodal lifestyle in every way, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, communion and mission shared by priests, religious and laity”. Pope Francis invited the faithful to join him in this prayer during October, when the Second Session of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod will be taking place.

In the video presenting the prayer intention — for a shared mission — the Holy Father noted that “Christians are all responsible for the Church’s mission. Every priest. Everyone”. He explained, “We priests are not the bosses of the laity, but their pastors. Jesus called us, one and others — not one above others, or one on one side and others on another side, but complementing each other. We are community”, which is why “we need to walk together, taking the path of synodality”. The Pope went on to affirm that all Christians, regardless of profession, need to witness with their lives and “be co-responsible for the Church’s mission. The laity, the baptized are in the Church, in their own home, and need to take care of it”, he said, adding that the same goes for priests and consecrated persons. “Everyone contributes what they know how to do best”, for we “participate and we live in the communion of the Church”.

The video accompanying the Pope’s words shows images of lay people, clergy and consecrated persons in different settings living out the call to follow the path of synodality, by praying and working side by side.

Commenting on this month’s prayer intention, Fr Frédéric Fornos, sj, International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, noted the significance of the Synodal Assembly in Rome, “the culmination of a journey begun three years ago and laden with expectations, desires and hopes. In the midst of the spiritual battle that will inevitably be present”, he said, “it is a time to listen to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the Church”.

The Pope Video is an official global initiative with the purpose of disseminating the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intentions. Available online at www.thepopevideo.org and translated into more than 23 languages, the video for the prayer intention for October was produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, distributed by La Machi Communication for Good Causes, and sponsored by Vatican Media.