By Elise Harris
Pope Francis greets pilgrims during his March 25, 2015 general audience. Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNA. Pope Francis greets pilgrims during his March 25, 2015 general audience. Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNA.
Vatican City, Mar 25, 2015 / 06:10 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During his weekly general audience Pope Francis spoke about the gift and call of the Christian family, and urged attendees to pray for the intentions of the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the family.
“The Church needs a prayer full of love for the family and for life,” the Pope told pilgrims gathered in a drizzly St. Peter’s Square for his March 25 general audience.
“Because of this, I ask you to pray insistently for the next Synod of Bishops, on the family, so that the Church is increasingly more committed and unified in her witness of the love and mercy of God with all families,” he said.
Francis emphasized that ahead of the October meeting, which will gather more than 200 Bishops and representatives from all over the world, “we (the Church) need prayers, not gossip,” and asked that “those also pray who feel alienated or are not accustomed to praying.”
The Pope’s petition for prayer took place during his continued catechesis on the family – a theme he announced last fall would be the subject of every general audience leading up to this year’s synod of bishops as a means of preparation.
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