Pope encourages Catholics to join ecumenical prayer campaign

523 0
Pope Francis speaks in a video message recorded on the phone of Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, at the Vatican April 11, 2019. In the video the pope encourages Catholic to join the ecumenical prayer campaign, "Thy Kingdom Come." (CNS photo/Thy Kingdom Come website)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In a video recorded on the phone of the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to join the worldwide “Thy Kingdom Come” prayer campaign May 30-June 9.

Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, used his phone to record the video message by Pope Francis when the two met at the Vatican April 11.

Archbishop Welby and Archbishop John Sentamu of York started the Ascension-to-Pentecost campaign among Anglicans in England in 2016 to encourage their faithful to focus for 11 days on praying that more people would come to know Jesus.

Since then, the prayer campaign has gone ecumenical and global.

“We are praying that the Spirit would inspire and equip us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our friends and families, our communities and networks,” according to the www.thykingdomcome.global website.

Archbishop Welby asked Pope Francis to comment on praying for the help of the Holy Spirit.

“‘Come, Holy Spirit,’ this is the cry of all Christians” in the days leading up to Pentecost, the pope said.

Human beings run the risk of having hearts that “become smaller and closed,” he said, but if a person invites the Holy Spirit in, it’s like one’s heart takes a great big breath and expands.

In the full video, Pope Francis also prayed that the Holy Spirit would “expand our hearts and the heart of the church, from within, so that we could make decisions in obedience and with farsightedness and peace.”

Related Post

Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, is pictured after a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 16. Cardinal Sarah told the synod that just because some young people disagree with Catholic morality does not mean the church's teachings are unclear or should change. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

‘Watering down’ church teaching won’t attract young people, cardinal says

Posted by - October 21, 2018 0
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Just because some young people disagree with Catholic moral teaching, including in the area of sexuality,…
Dan Beaudrie was told by doctors that he may never wrestle again after sustaining severe injuries following a near-fatal car accident in March 2015. Two years later, he became a Wyoming state champion in his weight division. Beaudrie credits his Catholic faith, his family and determination that helped him defy medical expectations. (CNS photo/courtesy Dan Beaudrie)

Wrestler’s nearly fatal car crash rejuvenated his faith

Posted by - January 12, 2020 0
Dan Beaudrie is a man of faith who beat the odds. Actually, he didn’t just beat them, he crushed them.…