Pope expands Jesuit online ministry
The Pope helped to launch a new online prayer network called ‘Click To Pray’ and its mobile app in the Vatican on January 20, 2019. Pope Francis accompanied the faithful in St Peter’s Square by praying the Angelus and then adding his prayer intentions and request for the Church’s mission onto his tablet computer.
Formerly called the Apostleship of Prayer, the prayer network is a Jesuit ministry that has communicated the Pope’s monthly intentions since 1890. It evolved into a video platform in 2016 which has included footage of the Pope giving his message along with participants relevant to each month.
His Holiness has embraced social media and has, for example, featured regularly on Twitter since 2012. “Internet and social media are a resource in our era”, he said, “a chance to stay in touch with others, to share values and plans and to express the desire to be a community. The web can also help us pray as a community, to pray together.”
The Pontiff continued: “I above all invite you, young people, to download the app, Click To Pray.” He asked them to keep praying with him the rosary for peace, particularly during World Youth Day in Panama from 22 to 27 January.
The website and mobile app, which are currently offered in six languages, invite users to pray with His Holiness using his monthly prayer intentions, to receive notifications and inspirational thoughts three times per day and to share their prayers with Pope Francis and others.
It is possible to view the Pope’s monthly video on the site. His intention for January is: “That young people, especially in Latin America, follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world”.
