Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for June 2022, and urges Catholics to pray for all families during the month in which Rome hosts the 10th World Meeting of Families.
By Devin Watkins
VATICAN CITY — “There is no such thing as a perfect family. There are always ‘buts.’’
Pope Francis made that affirmation in The Pope Video released on Thursday to promote his prayer intention for June.
Yet, he added, “that doesn’t matter. We shouldn’t be afraid of mistakes; we have to learn from them so we can move forward.”
United in the family
As the Church prepares to gather in Rome on 22-26 June for the 10th World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis upheld the family and urged all Catholics to pray for them.
“The family is the place where we learn to live with one another, to live with young people and with those who are older. And by being united in our differences—young people, the elderly, adults, children—we evangelize with our example of life.”
God offers path of holiness in families
The Pope recalled that God is always with us, in our neighborhood, cities, and daily life.
“And He takes care of us,” said Pope Francis. “He remains with us at all times in the swaying of the boat tossed by the sea: when we argue, when we suffer, when we’re joyful, the Lord is there and accompanies us, helps us, and corrects us.”
At the same time, he said, love within the family offers a “personal path of holiness.”
“Let us pray for Christian families around the world. May each and every family embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.”
‘Main source of meaning for people’
A press release from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which prepares the video, referenced a survey carried out by the Pew Research Center in 2021, noting that “the family continues to be the main source of meaning in the lives of many people.”
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, affirmed that every family has its own problems and joys.
“Loving relationships between spouses, parents, children, and grandparents are what become paths of holiness,” he said, noting that this love is “made of simple daily gestures, which take little to make ordinary moments extraordinary.”
