The intention, announced by the Apostleship of Prayer, is adopted by the Pope, who offers his prayer and sacrifices together with thousands of faithful worldwide.
«How can we remain insensitive to the cry of humanity while the number of missionaries decreases?» asked Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, when commenting to the Fides agency on the prayer intention.
According to the cardinal, it is not just a question «of numbers as it is of strengthening our faith, reinforcing our commitment, coordinating better available forces, without dispersing energies, but concentrating on the essential.»
«In a word, we must return to evangelical radicalness, knowing how to recognize the signs of the times, confident in the Word of the Lord, without being hindered by doubts, incomprehension, and the spirit of self-sufficiency,» Cardinal Sepe said.
Every month, the Pope also offers his prayers for a general intention, which in August will be: «That the European Union will constantly draw new sap from the Christian heritage, which is an essential party of its history and culture.»
