By Charles Igwe
In his prayer intention for the month of June—a month traditionally dedicated to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—Pope Leo XIV invites the global Church to pray “that the world might grow in compassion.” This marks a significant moment for the faithful, as it is the first time since his election as the 266th Successor of Peter on May 8, 2025, that Pope Leo’s voice is heard presenting The Pope Video, the official medium of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.
The June edition of The Pope Video opens with a deeply personal invocation from the Holy Father, who prays that each of us may find consolation through a personal relationship with Jesus and, from His Sacred Heart, learn the way of compassion. This spiritual appeal is steeped in the Church’s long-standing tradition of reflecting on the Heart of Christ—a symbol of boundless love and mercy, especially for those who suffer, are forgotten, or are most in need of hope.
Accompanying the Pope’s message is a moving original prayer to the Sacred Heart, voiced by a woman who draws the viewer into an intimate dialogue with Christ. “Lord, I come to Your tender Heart today,” the prayer begins, “to You who have words that set my heart ablaze, to You who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor, on those who suffer, and on all human miseries.” It is a prayer that mirrors the yearnings of countless souls searching for God’s tenderness in a wounded world.
The prayer goes on to express a longing to know Christ more deeply—to dwell with Him through Scripture, to share in His charity, and to be transformed by the divine and human love that radiates from His Heart. “Grant all Your children the grace of encountering You,” the prayer pleads, reminding us of the mystery of the Incarnate Word, who revealed the Father’s love by embracing humanity in its fullness.
There is also a powerful plea for divine intervention in the everyday—an invitation for God to enter the ordinary moments of life and redirect them toward His purpose. “Change, shape, and transform our plans,” the prayer implores, “so that we seek only You in every circumstance: in prayer, in work, in encounters, and in our daily routine.”
This prayer concludes with a commission: from the intimacy of this encounter with Christ, may we be sent forth into the world as vessels of His compassion and consolation. It is a theme that echoes deeply with Pope Leo’s emerging pastoral tone—one marked by a call to live not only in the presence of Christ but also in His active love for the world.
The visuals that accompany this message were filmed in sacred sites that resonate with the devotion to the Sacred Heart. Among them is the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Rome, home to the renowned image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pompeo Batoni. This treasured artwork is currently undergoing restoration, which is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Also featured is the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati, Philippines—a prominent spiritual hub for the Archdiocese of Manila, known for drawing the faithful into a deeper contemplation of Christ’s love.
