Duc in Altum

General - That the right to religious freedom may be respected by the government of all peoples.

Unfortunately in many parts of the world the basic human right to practice one’s religion is not recognized. People are persecuted for their religious beliefs. In other parts of the world any kind of religious belief or expression is laughed at and rejected as superstitious. At times, all religion is viewed with suspicion; religious people are perceived as fanatics and potential threats to peace and order. We join Pope Benedict in praying that governments will not hinder their people from living out their religious beliefs.

Missionary - That the proclamation of the Christian message in the new Churches may ensured through its insertion into the existing cultures.

Christianity is meant to transform the world. When it is lived out with authenticity, it changes individuals and societies. Pope Benedict wants us to pray this month that Christianity will be able, in those parts of the world where it has been newly planted, to have a real effect on the culture and society of the people. This doesn’t mean destroying an existing culture, but supporting all that is true, good, and beautiful about it, and transforming all that does not reverence human dignity.

The papal prayer intentions are promoted by the Apostleship of Prayer which was started in 1844. At that time in France, Jesuit seminarians who were eager to join the missions work of the Church were urged to be apostles right there in the seminary by being apostles of prayer. They were encouraged to offer everything in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus in order that His Kingdom would be spread to the hearts of many. One of the goals of this apostolate is to make known the needs of the Universal Church. One way that this is accomplished is by the promotion of the monthly Papal prayer intentions. By offering up prayers of petition for these intentions, the faithful are uniting themselves with Peter and through him to the Church as a whole.

I have found it a beautiful devotion to offer up my "prayers, works, joys, and sufferings" at the beginning of each day. The suggested prayer for making this morning offering is:



The prayer allows me to focus my mind on my goal to be united with Christ through His mother Mary and in faithful obedience to the Holy Father. When I reflect on the prayer, I realize that it properly roots me in the Church which was founded by Christ, personified by His Mother, guided by the Successor to Peter, and sustained by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

It is in the mass where I can be truly united to Christ because it is here that I participate in His total giving of Himself. Through the grace which He gives through His Holy Sacrifice, which is re-presented constantly throughout the world, He seeks to draw all souls unto Himself.

Through His invitation, I am asked to contribute what I have which is prayer, works, joys, and sufferings. In His love, He uses these for the salvation of souls, including my own. Consequently, the smallest details of my daily life are part of this magnificent body of Christ. What I do and say has an impact upon the entire Church and by extension to the entire world. In this way, I, too, am able to serve as a missionary to people I might not ever know until, by God's grace, I would meet them in eternity. This is certainly something to think about when I start to grumble about the drudgery of daily life. That annoying task, done for Christ, is part of His plan for the salvation of souls.