Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October is for a shared Catholic mission.

“We Christians are all responsible for the Church’s mission. Every priest. Everyone,” the pope said in a video released Sept. 30. 

“We priests are not the bosses of the laity but their pastors. Jesus called us, one and others — not one above others, or one on one side and others on another side, but complementing each other,” he said, adding: “We are community. That is why we need to walk together, taking the path of synodality.”

“What can I do as a bus driver? A farmer? A fisher? What all of us need to do is to witness with our lives. Be co-responsible for the Church’s mission.”

The Holy Father pointed out that “the laity, the baptized, are in the Church, in their own home, and need to take care of it. So do we priests and consecrated persons. Everyone contributes what they know how to do best. We are co-responsible in mission, we participate and we live in the communion of the Church.”

Pope Francis concluded with a prayer: “Let us pray that the Church continue to sustain a synodal lifestyle in every way, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, communion, and mission shared by priests, religious, and laity.”

Pope Francis’ prayer video is promoted by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which raises awareness of monthly papal prayer intentions.