Pope Leo XIV calls Catholics to pray for city evangelisation

Pope Leo XIV released the monthly “Pray with the Pope” video, urging Catholics worldwide to join him in August in praying for evangelisation in urban areas. In the appeal, the Pope asks the “Good Shepherd” to enter tall buildings and humble neighbourhoods, accompanying millions who “seek meaning amid noise and haste.” He highlighted that while cities offer freedom and opportunity, they can also foster anonymity, isolation, and loneliness, especially among young people, and called for simple, loving gestures of community and fraternity.

The Vatican noted that nearly 45 % of the global population now lives in cities, creating social and mental‑health challenges that the Church hopes to address through prayer and presence.