His Holiness Pope Francis’ prayer intention for August: Church on the way

His Holiness Pope Francis releases the prayer intention for the month of August, inviting everyone to work for a transformation of the Church - a work that begins with “a reform of ourselves” through an experience of prayer, charity and service, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

In his video message for his prayer intention for August, His Holiness Pope Francis reminds the faithful that “the vocation of the Church is evangelization,” and even more, “the Church’s identity is evangelization.”

In this month, the Holy Father reflects on the situation of the Church, its vocation and its identity, and calls us to renew it “by discerning God’s will in our daily life,” and “embarking on a transformation guided by the Holy Spirit.”

“Our own reform as persons is that transformation,” the Pope said. This allows the “Holy Spirit, the gift of God in our hearts, to remind us what Jesus taught and helps us to put into practice.”

Evangelization and a more missionary option

Pope Francis begins with the specific vocation of the Church, which is to evangelize. The Holy Father dreams of an even more missionary option: "one that goes out to meet others without proselytism and transforms its structures for the evangelization of today’s world.”

He emphasizes that he is not talking about proselytism but rather a reform of the Church through “a reform of ourselves, without prefabricated ideas, without ideological prejudices and rigidity.”

To make progress in this regard, Pope Francis invites all to move forward based on spiritual experience: “an experience of prayer, an experience of charity and an experience of service.”

Reforming the Church

“Let us remember that the Church always has difficulties,” the Pope said, explaining that the Church goes through crises because she is alive; not like the dead who do not go through crises.

This article was originally published on Vatican News website. Please click here to read the full text.