In “The Pope Video” for November, Pope Francis asks the faithful to “Pray to the Lord that He will bless me,” saying, “Your prayer gives me strength and helps me to discern and to accompany the Church, listening to the Holy Spirit.”
Each month the Pope offers a specific prayer intention, inviting men
and women of good will to pray with him for a particular cause. Recent
intentions have included prayers for the Synod, for people living on the
margins, and for World Youth Day.
Pope Francis reminds the faithful in this month’s video that “The
fact that someone is Pope doesn’t mean they lose their humanity. On the
contrary, my humanity grows each day with God’s holy and faithful
people.”
He adds, “Being Pope is also a process. The person becomes aware of
what it means to be a pastor. And in this process, he learns how to be
more charitable, more merciful, and, above all, more patient, like God
our Father, who is so patient.”
Knowing that popes are often “judged harshly” and will have to render
“a serious account” of their ministry to God, Pope Francis asks his
listeners “to judge benevolently” and “pray that the Pope, whoever he
might be – today it is my turn – may receive the help of the Holy
Spirit, that he may be docile to that help.”
Specifically, he asks for prayers for the Pope “so that in the
exercise of his mission, he may continue to accompany in the faith the
flock entrusted to him by Jesus, always with the help of the Holy
Spirit.”