In his prayer intention for the month of May, Pope Francis said: “Lay people are on the front line of the life of the Church” and he expressed his belief that “We need their testimony regarding the truth of the Gospel and their example of expressing their faith by practicing solidarity”.
It has become the custom of Pope Francis to release a video message detailing his new prayer intention each month.
The full text of the message is below:
Lay people are on the front line of the life of the Church.
We need their testimony regarding the truth of the Gospel and their example of expressing their faith by practicing solidarity.
Let us give thanks for the lay people who take risks, who are not afraid and who offer reasons for hope to the poorest, to the excluded, to the marginalized.
Let us pray together this month that the lay faithful may fulfill their specific mission, the mission that they received in Baptism, putting their creativity at the service of the challenges of today’s world.
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network of the Apostleship of Prayer developed “The Pope Video” initiative to assist in the worldwide dissemination of monthly intentions of the Holy Father in relation to the challenges facing humanity.