Pope Francis and the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network present the 20th The Pope Video. This month the Holy Father stresses the importance of the work of artists to “infect” people with joy and contribute to the transformation of society.
(VATICAN, Aug. 04, 2017) – A violin, a saxophone, a guitar, a piano and other musical instruments from various parts of the world come together to give a distinct and unique feel to this month’s Pope Video with the Holy Father’s August prayer intentions. This month, the Pope stresses the importance of the work of artists as a way of transmitting joy. And he gives this message with a video in which music and scenery are the protagonists.
“The arts give expression to the beauty of the faith and proclaim the Gospel message of the grandeur of God’s creation,” the Pope explains. “When we admire a work of art or a marvel of nature, we discover how everything speaks to us of Him and of His love.”
But in addition to emphasizing the value of the creative work of God, as the imagery juxtaposes the tranquility of the plains with the fervor of a ballerina in the midst of a city, Francis makes a clear call to commit ourselves to caring for and protecting this inheritance. In September of 2016, on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, he invited all believers to renew our commitment to our personal vocation to be stewards of creation.
“The joy of artists in a world at times gloomy and glum is so good for the soul!” Francis emphasizes. “May artists of our time, through their ingenuity, help everyone discover the beauty of creation.”
Jesuit Father Frédéric Fornos, international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement, noted that the Pope already some time ago has spoken of the importance of artists: “‘The artist is a witness of the invisible, and a work of art is the strongest proof that the incarnation is possible,’ and the role of the poet, of the artist, is to oppose the ‘throw-away’ culture, and evangelize.”
A social media contest titled #beautyofcreation is also being launched today by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and the Global Catholic Climate Movement to encourage fulfillment of the prayer intention. The campaign invites people to be “artists” by taking a picture or making a short video of places in nature where they appreciate the beauty of creation. The contest is hashtagged #beautyofcreation.
Entries will be showcased on the Beauty of Creation web page, http://catholicclimatemovement.global/beauty-of-creation. The campaign will run through the Season of Creation (http://seasonofcreation.org) the period September 1-October 4 when Christians come together to pray for and care for creation. The Season of Creation has been endorsed by Pope Francis, the Ecumenical Patriarch, and major European churches.
Tomas Insua, Executive Director of the Global Catholic Climate Movement said, “We are working together with the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network to encourage everyone to act as artists who see the beauty of creation. Our #beautyofcreation campaign is about discovering the wonders of nature in our everyday surroundings. Whether it’s a flower in the sidewalk or the peak of Mount Everest, every bit of creation reveals the creator.”
The intentions are entrusted each month to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and The Pope Video is produced by La Machi Communication for Good Causes with the support of the Society of Jesus, IndigoMusic, GettyImagesLatam and the collaboration of the Vatican Television Center. It also has Aleteia as a media partner. Since its launch in January of 2016, it has had more than 14 million views on its networks.
The Pope Video is made possible thanks to the support of many people. You can donate at this link.
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About The Pope Video
The Pope Video is a global initiative developed by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) to disseminate the monthly intentions of the Holy Father concerning the challenges facing humanity. The videos seek to unite people in praying with Pope Francis for those challenges. The Project has the support of the Vatican Television Center (CTV), sole owner of the rights. For more information: https://www.thepopevideo.org.
About the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer)
For over a century, the Apostleship of Prayer has been publishing to the world the prayer intentions entrusted to them by popes. Now, in its process of recreation, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network emphasizes its role of communicating the prayer intentions and leveraging new media and tools. Its mission is to unite people in prayer and service in response to the challenges facing humanity which the Holy Father expresses in his monthly intentions. Those who participate in this network are encouraged to become apostles in daily life through a spiritual path called “Way of the Heart,” transforming those who take that path in the service of the mission of Jesus Christ. Founded in 1844 and present in over 98 countries, the Apostleship of Prayer unites more than 35 million people in its network, including its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement. For more information: http://www.popesprayer.net/.
About La Machi
The Pope Video is an idea of La Machi, a creative boutique specializing in communication to advance good causes founded in 2012, with offices in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, and Rome. Its mission is to help companies, NGOs, and religious institutions communicate their philanthropic purposes. It specializes in strategic communication, creative advertising, digital development, and fundraising. La Machi has been recognized as a “Friend of Project Red” (RIIAL) and won the 2015 & the 2016 Mercury Prize for Best International SME of Marketing, awarded by the Argentinian Association of Marketing. For more information: http://www.lamachi.com/en.
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