Watch: Pope Francis Says Parishes Should Put Up “Free Admission” Signs

Pope Francis shared his monthly prayer intention video for February, urging the Faithful to pray for parishes.

Pope Francis’ Worldwide Prayer Network of the Apostleship of Prayer developed “The Pope Video” initiative in 2016 as a way to spread the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intentions on the challenges humanity faces in a video based format.

For the month of February, Pope Francis shared his prayer intention that we pray that parishes “may increasingly become communities of faith.”

Read below the full prayer intention of Pope Francis, and watch “The Pope Video” for February:

Sometimes I think that we should put a sign on the door of parishes that says, “Free admission.”

Parishes should be close-knit communities, without bureaucracy, people-centered —a place where the gift of the sacraments can be found.

They have to become once again schools of service and generosity, with their doors always open to those who are excluded. And to those included. To all.

Parishes are not a club for the few, which give a certain kind of social belonging.

Please, let us be daring.

Let us all rethink the style of our parochial communities.

Let us pray that parishes, placing communion –communion of people, ecclesial communion– at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, of fraternity and of welcoming the most in need.