Dear brothers and sisters, Last Sunday, in Lourdes, I invited everyone to pray the Rosary during this month of October, with the special intention that wars may cease and peace may be built. Among the first to do so were the children, and they are continuing to do so: from 1 to 7 October, “Aid to the Church in Need” is promoting “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative for peace and unity in the world. I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war. In particular, let us pray for the Holy Land and for the innocent victims of violence.
Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 4 October 2026
I had tried to follow, as closely as possible, Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to France, from Sept. 25-28, but I had not heard his clear and specific invitation from Lourdes, at his Angelus address on Sunday, Sept. 27, when he said: “… today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.”
I am glad that I did not “completely miss” the invitation and that Pope Leo offered a reminder in his Angelus address this past Sunday, Oct. 4, as he reflected on this past Sunday’s Gospel (Mt. 21:33-43) and reflected on the example of the life, ministry, and vocation of St. Francis of Assisi, stating: “… the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today, after eight centuries…”
As St. Francis continues to call each of us to pray and act so that the Lord may “make us instruments of His Peace” and, as the first Holy Father to take the name of the “poor man from Assisi,” Pope Francis continually and consistently called all Christians and people of good will to work together for peace and to care for the poor, the suffering, and those who are forgotten (or “thrown away”) by society, Pope Leo XIV continues that consistent call, inviting us to work and pray for peace and for an end to war.
I was encouraged and inspired to learn from Pope Leo that among the first to “respond” to his invitation to pray the Rosary for Peace were children from all over the world. Another way to join with people from all over the world in praying the Rosary during this “month of the Holy Rosary” is the “World Mission Rosary:”
On Sept. 24, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was beatified in St. Louis. You are invited to discover one of his greatest gifts to the Church: the World Mission Rosary. 75 years ago, Archbishop Sheen designed this special rosary so that every Catholic — no matter where they lived — could hold up the whole world in prayer. Every day of October, join us to do exactly that. Sponsored by The Pontifical Mission Societies, Catholics from around the world will gather online each day of October at 3 p.m. Eastern Time to pray it together.
See World Mission Rosary.
As I was “catching up” on Pope Leo’s Angelus addresses and his invitation to pray the Rosary every day during the month of October, I was reminded that someone had sent me a video with Pope Leo’s monthly prayer intention for the month of October. Once again, I was a little late, but glad that I had not missed it completely. I have not followed every month, but I have seen a few of the brief videos produced by Vatican Media for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network to introduce the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention.
The video for October, introducing the intention, “For Mental Health Ministry,” is very beautiful, and the words express Pope Leo’s compassion and pastoral sensitivity. The video and more information can be found here.
Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and Blessed Fulton J. Sheen give us good advice that can make the month of October a special time of grace for the world. The Holy Rosary is a profound gift in the simple directness of its constant theme of meditation on the life of the Lord Jesus and his Blessed Mother. As Blessed Fulton Sheen wrote, “When we say the Rosary—we are saying to God, the Trinity, to the Incarnate Savior, to the Blessed Mother: ‘I love you.’ The Rosary, too, can be a source of strength for those struggling with mental illness and emotional unsettledness.
The Rosary makes us conscious of the lives of the Holy Family particularly, who knew God’s consoling love in every hour. Not so long ago, Pope Leo recounted the habit of his parents praying the Rosary together daily. Reflecting on his parents’ custom, the Holy Father noted, “I found that I was always blessed by their love for one another and their faith in God … It’s a wonderful thing.” It could be a “wonderful” thing, too, if together, as individuals, families and communities, our praying the Rosary would lead to peace in every heart, in families and in our world, peace that only God can give.
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Pope Leo’s Angelus Address(es), his invitation to pray the Rosary and his monthly intention for mental health Ministry #Catholic –
Dear brothers and sisters, Last Sunday, in Lourdes, I invited everyone to pray the Rosary during this month of October, with the special intention that wars may cease and peace may be built. Among the first to do so were the children, and they are continuing to do so: from 1 to 7 October, “Aid to the Church in Need” is promoting “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative for peace and unity in the world. I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war. In particular, let us pray for the Holy Land and for the innocent victims of violence.
Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 4 October 2026
I had tried to follow, as closely as possible, Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to France, from Sept. 25-28, but I had not heard his clear and specific invitation from Lourdes, at his Angelus address on Sunday, Sept. 27, when he said: “… today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.”
I am glad that I did not “completely miss” the invitation and that Pope Leo offered a reminder in his Angelus address this past Sunday, Oct. 4, as he reflected on this past Sunday’s Gospel (Mt. 21:33-43) and reflected on the example of the life, ministry, and vocation of St. Francis of Assisi, stating: “… the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today, after eight centuries…”
As St. Francis continues to call each of us to pray and act so that the Lord may “make us instruments of His Peace” and, as the first Holy Father to take the name of the “poor man from Assisi,” Pope Francis continually and consistently called all Christians and people of good will to work together for peace and to care for the poor, the suffering, and those who are forgotten (or “thrown away”) by society, Pope Leo XIV continues that consistent call, inviting us to work and pray for peace and for an end to war.
I was encouraged and inspired to learn from Pope Leo that among the first to “respond” to his invitation to pray the Rosary for Peace were children from all over the world. Another way to join with people from all over the world in praying the Rosary during this “month of the Holy Rosary” is the “World Mission Rosary:”
On Sept. 24, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was beatified in St. Louis. You are invited to discover one of his greatest gifts to the Church: the World Mission Rosary. 75 years ago, Archbishop Sheen designed this special rosary so that every Catholic — no matter where they lived — could hold up the whole world in prayer. Every day of October, join us to do exactly that. Sponsored by The Pontifical Mission Societies, Catholics from around the world will gather online each day of October at 3 p.m. Eastern Time to pray it together.
See World Mission Rosary.
As I was “catching up” on Pope Leo’s Angelus addresses and his invitation to pray the Rosary every day during the month of October, I was reminded that someone had sent me a video with Pope Leo’s monthly prayer intention for the month of October. Once again, I was a little late, but glad that I had not missed it completely. I have not followed every month, but I have seen a few of the brief videos produced by Vatican Media for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network to introduce the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention.
The video for October, introducing the intention, “For Mental Health Ministry,” is very beautiful, and the words express Pope Leo’s compassion and pastoral sensitivity. The video and more information can be found here.
Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and Blessed Fulton J. Sheen give us good advice that can make the month of October a special time of grace for the world. The Holy Rosary is a profound gift in the simple directness of its constant theme of meditation on the life of the Lord Jesus and his Blessed Mother. As Blessed Fulton Sheen wrote, “When we say the Rosary—we are saying to God, the Trinity, to the Incarnate Savior, to the Blessed Mother: ‘I love you.’ The Rosary, too, can be a source of strength for those struggling with mental illness and emotional unsettledness.
The Rosary makes us conscious of the lives of the Holy Family particularly, who knew God’s consoling love in every hour. Not so long ago, Pope Leo recounted the habit of his parents praying the Rosary together daily. Reflecting on his parents’ custom, the Holy Father noted, “I found that I was always blessed by their love for one another and their faith in God … It’s a wonderful thing.” It could be a “wonderful” thing, too, if together, as individuals, families and communities, our praying the Rosary would lead to peace in every heart, in families and in our world, peace that only God can give.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.