In the The Pope Video for September from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Francis calls for parishes at the service of the mission.
Vatican. Sept. 1, 2017 — From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has spoken emphatically about the role of parishes in the life of our communities. Already at the Synod on the Family in 2015, he declared that “a Church with closed doors betrays herself and her mission, and, instead of being a bridge, becomes a roadblock.”
“The Church”, he’s said, “must have her “doors wide open to whoever knocks in search of help and support.” Parishes must be “in contact with the homes and the lives of its people.” In this month’s Pope Video, Francis stresses the valuable role of parishes in going out to the streets, at the service of the faithful and of the needy.
The September intention is “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”
According to the Pontifical Yearbook, there are more than 221,000 parishes across the globe, where community life can be experienced and where the faithful can gather for liturgy, to learn the teachings of Christ, and to organize charity and fraternal service.
“This month, we want to clearly express the value parishes have in the mission, especially for the most needy,” said Jesuit Father Frédéric Fornos, international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement. “The parish is a place to encounter Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, who invites us to be a part of his mission. The parish can be a fount of missionary dynamism that brings salt and light to the world. The Gospel was born on the pathways of encountering others. We cannot simply wait for people to come to our parishes. This missionary dynamic is essential.”
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 18 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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