In the days leading up to Pope Francis’ trip to Chile and Peru, we heard of both violence and a natural disaster occurring in the countries he would be visiting. Six churches were vandalized (even firebombed!) between January 12th and 14th, with threats left at the parishes against Pope Francis.
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There was even a 7.1 earthquake on January 14th – the day before his trip began – in Peru with a tsunami warning for both Chile and Peru. Whether they were just mere coincidences or the devil unhappy about the visit, we need to keep Pope Francis and those he will be visiting in our prayers.
While Pope Francis has famously declined beefed up security and always stops to pray at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome to ask for Our Lady’s intercession for a safe trip before his departures, we can also do our part by praying for him as well. Whether it be a decade of the Rosary, a prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, or any other prayer of your choice, we can ask God to keep him safe on his journeys. There were stories about how, while visiting Mexico in 2016, gangs and drug cartels ceased violence while Pope Francis was in the country out of respect for him.
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But we shouldn’t be praying just for him. Both Chile and Peru have seen a decline in numbers of Catholics in recent years due to scandal and abuse. We can pray that the Holy Spirit enlightens Pope Francis’ often unscripted and unrehearsed homilies and speeches so that his words may touch the hearts of both the faithful and those who are away from the Church. There has been a lot of hurt afflicted to the faithful in the form of abusive priests – which Pope Francis apologized for on the first day of his trip – so we must pray for all.
Pope Francis is set to visit areas known for their high crime and poverty rates, especially in Peru where government corruption and classism are the unfortunate norms. We can pray for the healing of those who see and experience daily violence which most of us haven’t and may never experience. We can also pray that those who will be making a pilgrimage to see the Pope, from neighboring countries experiencing similar living conditions, may find the inner peace and courage they seek from the apostolic visit.
We shouldn’t say these prayers only for this trip. We should make it a habit of praying for Pope Francis and the people of the countries being visited. There are a lot of Catholics hurting around the world and one can only hope that these visits can infuse a bit of faith and hope into the hearts of those who most need it.
Looking for a prayer to pray for Pope Francis during this trip and his upcoming trips? Here’s a quick prayer for the pope and those he serves:
O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all Your faithful people, mercifully look upon Your servant, Pope Francis, whom You have chosen as shepherd to guide the Church. We ask You to help him edify, both by word and example, those over whom he has charge, that he may reach everlasting life together with the flock entrusted to him. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The current apostolic trip, which began on January 15th, is scheduled to end on the night of January 21st in Lima, Peru arriving back in Rome on the 22nd.