Ever since the late 1800’s the Holy Father has supported the work of the Apostleship of Prayer, now known as the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. It is a service of the Holy See, under the care of the Society of Jesus. Below are a few quotes from several different pontiffs who pointed out the benefits of this international prayer network.

Pope Pius XII

On its 100th anniversary in 1944, Pope Pius XII gave thanks to God for the Apostleship of Prayer, calling it “one of the most efficacious means for the salvation of souls, since it concerns prayer and prayer in common.” He commended the organization for its goal: “to pray assiduously for the needs of the Church and to try to satisfy them through daily offering.”

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of its 150th anniversary in 1994, wrote: “As the dawn of the third millennium approaches a world in which many sectors have become quite pagan, it is obvious how urgent it is for members of the Apostleship of Prayer to be involved in the service of the new evangelization. For Christ has come to preach the Good News to the poor, and the Apostleship of Prayer has always considered itself a form of popular piety for the masses. As such it has performed an important service during the past hundred and fifty years by giving new life to people’s awareness of how valuable their lives are to God for the building up of His Kingdom.”

The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network is, as Pope John Paul II wrote in 1985, “a precious treasure from the Pope’s heart and the Heart of Christ.”

Pope Francis

Most recently, Pope Francis said during a Sunday Angelus, “I would also like to invite you to join in the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which spreads, also through social networks, the prayer intentions I propose for the Church each month. In this way, the Apostleship of Prayer moves forward and communion grows.”