In his prayer intention for November, Pope Leo XIV is asking Catholics worldwide to unite in prayer for the prevention of suicide and for all who live “in darkness and despair.” The message, shared through The Pope Video produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, comes amid a global rise in mental health struggles.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father began his message with a prayer to the Lord who invites “the weary and burdened” to find rest in Him, asking that Christ “accompany all the people who live in darkness and despair, especially those struggling with suicidal thoughts.” He emphasized the Church’s role in offering hope, saying, “May they always find a community that welcomes them, listens to them, and accompanies them.”
The Pope also urged Catholics to open their hearts to compassion and action: “May the Lord give us all an attentive and compassionate heart, capable of offering comfort and support, also with the necessary professional help,” he said, according to Vatican News correspondent Deborah Castellano Lubov. His call reflects a growing pastoral awareness of the Church’s need to respond to emotional and mental suffering with tenderness, empathy, and presence.
Pope Leo reminded the faithful that no one is immune to moments of deep sorrow, noting that “even those who follow Jesus are vulnerable to sadness without hope.” He invited all Christians to remember that life retains its sacred meaning, even in hardship: “Together may we rediscover that life is a gift, that there is still beauty and meaning, even in the midst of pain and suffering,” he said.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 720,000 people take their own lives each year, with more than half occurring before the age of 50. The Pope’s message highlights not only the need for prayer but also the importance of human connection, community, and accompaniment as antidotes to isolation and despair.
In his closing prayer, Pope Leo offered words of consolation rooted in divine love: “We ask You to always make us feel Your love so that, through Your closeness to us, we can recognize and proclaim to all the infinite love of the Father who leads us by the hand to renew our trust in the life You give us. Amen.”
The Pope Video initiative, established in 2016, continues to share monthly papal prayer intentions worldwide, translated into more than 20 languages and viewed over 247 million times, according to the Vatican’s Worldwide Prayer Network. The November message reminds the faithful that through prayer and compassionate action, the Church can be a place of hope for all who struggle in silence.
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