VATICAN (OSV News): Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics to pray “for evangelisation in the city” as his August prayer intention, asking the Lord to accompany millions searching for meaning amid the noise and haste of urban life. In his monthly “Pray with the Pope” video, Pope Leo expressed his hope that urban environments may provide “fertile ground” for proclaiming the gGospel.
The pope acknowledged that while cities are meant to be places of “freedom and opportunity,” they can also become “spaces of anonymity and isolation.” With nearly 45 per cent of the world’s population now living in urban areas, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network describes cities as one of today’s largest mission territories.
In his prayer, Pope Leo asked, “Make us a Church that goes forth, able to reach out to the peripheries, to console those who are lonely, and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.”
He also prayed, “Make us your witnesses in the city, bold and creative missionaries, who proclaim your Love with their lives— a Love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.”
