Papal Intentions For May

Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines earlier this year (CNS photo / Paul Haring)

This month, Pope Francis asks us to pray that, “rejecting the culture of indifference, we may care for our neighbors who suffer, especially the sick and the poor.” He also asks us to pray for an “openness to mission,” and that “Mary’s intercession may help Christians in secularized cultures be open to proclaiming Jesus.”

The sick and the poor are often forgotten in our society, and fears keep us from preaching Christ to those around us. Please join us in praying with the Holy Father, that we may encounter all with love and a New Evangelization.

Saint John Paul II, Pray for Us!

Call Me And Bid Me Come To You

Most often, all that the Pope has in common with the members of the Church is Jesus Christ. Of course, Christ is the strongest bond one could have with another, but it seems that this bond becomes clearer when deeper commonalities are discovered. For example, members of the Society of Jesus probably feel more connected to Pope Francis than to other Popes in the past. 

This is why Blessed John Paul II’s 1999 “Letter to the Elderly” is so powerful for the aged among us. He was 79 years old when he wrote it, therefore in deep solidarity with his readers. His support and guidance are quite meaningful, then, and his experience witnesses well to the Christian approach to old age and dying. John Paul II writes:

I find great peace in thinking of the time when the Lord will call me: from life to life! And so I often find myself saying, with no trace of melancholy, a prayer recited by priests after the celebration of the Eucharist: In hora mortis meae voca me, et iube me venire ad te – at the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to you. This is the prayer of Christian hope, which in no way detracts from the joy of the present, while entrusting the future to God's gracious and loving care.

“Iube me venire ad te!”: this is the deepest yearning of the human heart, even in those who are not conscious of it.

Enjoy this insightful letter, and pass it along to those who need to hear the message. Let it serve as a reminder to those of us who are temporarily young and nondisabled to visit and pray for the elderly.

To visit the sick

Thanks to the contribution of science and medicine, one sees in society today a lengthening of the human life span and a subsequent increase in the number of elderly. This demands a more specific attention to the world of so-called "old" age, in order to help its members to live their full potential by placing them at the service of the entire community. The care of the elderly, above all when they pass through difficult moments, must be of great concern to all the faithful, especially in the ecclesial communities of Western societies, where the problem is particularly present.

Human life is a precious gift to be loved and defended in each of its stages. The Commandment, "You shall not kill!", always requires respecting and promoting human life, from its beginning to its natural end. It is a command that applies even in the presence of illness and when physical weakness reduces the person's ability to be self-reliant. If growing old, with its inevitable conditions, is accepted serenely in the light of faith, it can become an invaluable opportunity for better comprehending the Mystery of the Cross, which gives full sense to human existence.

The elderly need to be understood and helped in this perspective. I wish, here, to express my appreciation to those who dedicate themselves to fulfilling these needs, and I also call upon other people of good will to take advantage of Lent for making their own personal contribution. This will allow many elderly not to think of themselves as a burden to the community, and sometimes even to their own families, living in a situation of loneliness that leads to the temptation of isolating themselves or becoming discouraged.

-Blessed John Paul II, Message for Lent (2005)

Blessed John Paul II, through your intercession may we live like Christ as we approach the time of His passion and death.