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“The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful” [James 5: 16]

My dear young friends,

Greetings in the Lord! It is my hope that this message finds you well and full of God’s holy grace. As the world rejoices at the coming of a new pope, Pope Leo XIV, let me talk to you about the importance of praying for him. As full members of the Church, the Body of Christ, you and I are called to support and uplift one another in faith and prayer. This simple message tries to emphasise the pivotal role of the pope as the pastor of the universal Church and how your prayers can strengthen him in his ministry, especially in this present age.

The traditional white smoke is a symbol of a new beginning for the one who is vested with the mission to tend to the Lord’s sheep [John 21: 17]. A look at history and tradition will tell us that Christ entrusted the ministry of serving the universality of the Church to the Apostle Peter. The Bishop of Rome, as the successor of Peter, carries on this ministry, strengthening the brethren in common faith, serving as a rock, and shepherding the Church [Pope John XXIII, Ad Petri Cathedram, No. 27]. This meaningful, yet immense mission comes with numerous challenges, including promoting unity, upholding Church teachings, to name a few of them, without falling to mention the various contemporary issues he will be called to face.

This invitation to pray for him is based on the fact that prayer is essential deepening our union with Christ, and at the same time, it gives us the strength to continue witnessing to his message of love as light and salt of the world. Our beloved Pope St. John Paul II reminds us that “without that union with Christ which is fostered through prayer our energy flags, we lose fervour and we run the risk of becoming as “a sounding brass or tinkling cymbal” [Homily, Celebration of the Word with priests, religious and laity, 1984].

Dear Young Friends, we pray for the pope because we strongly believe as Christians that the foundation and fruitfulness of every ministry in the Church depend on a living union with Christ, maintained and nourished by prayer. Without this constant connection to Him, our Lord, we lose our identity, and mission and ministry become “our own business”.

Here is a suggestion: pray for the pope’s intentions, for his health and safety, and for his guidance in leading the Church. After Christ’s example, the pope’s sacramental ministry, centered on the Eucharist, makes him an intercessor with God for the whole Christian community and beyond. As young people, I know how creative you are. Therefore, use your own words to pray for the new pope as you can pray for a friend, a parent or a relative. With this comes the invitation to not consider him as a distant figure, but as a family member who needs your support and care as well. The Church is a family, our family! This awareness will surely enhance our togetherness and proximity in faith, and will help tear down the walls that may exist in our midst.

My dear friends, all ministry requires the support of the Christian community, especially through prayer for each other. as I said at the beginning of this sharing, you are members of the Christian community and as such, your prayers contribute to the well-being of the entire Church and enhance its mission here and now.

I invite you to continue praying for our universal pastor, Pope Leo XIV, that he may be strengthened in his ministry and that the Church may be united in faith and love.

May we all, young, old or teen journey together with Pope Leo XIV, to be witnesses to Christ’s love, and live for the things from above.

Truly yours,

Dominique Mukonda, CICM