Every month Pope Leo XIV proposes a prayer intention for the whole Church, spread by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer). The complete 2026 calendar was published by the Holy See in December 2025 and covers topics such as prayer with the Word, nuclear disarmament, sick children, food for all, sport as a path of peace, the care of water and mental health.
What are the Pope’s intentions?
The Pope’s prayer intentions are specific topics the Holy Father entrusts each month to the universal prayer of the faithful. Their origin dates back to 1844, when the Jesuit François-Xavier Gautrelet founded the Apostleship of Prayer. Since 2018, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network has released a monthly video featuring the Pontiff’s intention. Each intention usually combines a concrete social or ecclesial theme with a spiritual call.
2026 monthly calendar
January
For prayer with the Word of God
Let us pray that prayer with the Word of God may be food in our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.
February
For children with incurable diseases
Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families may receive the medical care and support needed, never losing strength and hope.
March
For disarmament and peace
Let us pray that nations may proceed with effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders may choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.
April
For priests in vocational crisis
Let us pray for priests going through times of vocational crisis, that they may find fraternal accompaniment and spiritual discernment.
May
For food for all
Let us pray that no one may be excluded from the common table, and that in a world where food is wasted, no one may lack bread who needs it.
June
For sport as a path of peace
Let us pray that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter and dialogue between cultures, and may promote values of respect, solidarity and personal growth.
July
For respect for human life
Let us pray for the respect and protection of human life at every stage, recognising it as a gift of God.
August
For evangelisation in the city
Let us pray that in large cities, often marked by anonymity and loneliness, we may find new ways of proclaiming the Gospel, discovering creative paths for building community.
September
For the care of water
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone has equitable access to it.
October
For mental-health pastoral care
Let us pray that mental-health pastoral care may be integrated throughout the Church, helping to overcome stigma and discrimination toward people with mental illness.
November
For the right use of wealth
Let us pray for a right use of wealth, that it may not yield to the temptation of selfishness but be always at the service of the common good and solidarity with those who have less.
December
For single-parent families
Let us pray for families that experience the absence of a mother or a father, that they may find in the Church support and accompaniment, and in faith strength in difficult times.
How to join the prayer
You can incorporate the Pope’s monthly intention into your personal or community prayer in several ways: praying it at the start of the day, offering a Mass with that intention, including it in the parish prayers of the faithful, or joining the Vatican’s official "Click to Pray". The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network publishes monthly resources at popesprayer.va.
Official source
The intentions published here are those issued by the Press Office of the Holy See and the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. The primary source is popesprayer.va. Any definitive nuance or wording can be checked against the official monthly texts.