Teachers: Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intention for September | The Religion Teacher

Each month the pope sets forth a set of prayer intentions that are used in prayers around the world.

This month, Pope Benedict XVI has selected teachers as one of his intentions:

Teachers. That all teachers may know how to communicate love of the truth and instill authentic moral and spiritual values.

His prayer is worth meditating upon in the remaining days of September. You may not have realized this, but the entire world has been praying for you for the last month. How can you live out this prayer in your work and life?

Prayer Intention Reflection Questions

Where have I learned to communicate the love of truth?
What about the truth of the Gospels do I love most?
When I teach, do I communicate the love of truth or just the truth alone?
How do I communicate my love of truth the best with my students?
What are the authentic moral and spiritual values that I teach (vs. non-authentic)?
Do I authentically live out the moral and spiritual values that I teach?
Which teachers in my should I pray for this month?

Takes some time during your daily prayers to reflect on these questions or the pope’s prayer intention itself. As a teacher, you have a powerful vocation. Takes some time to recognize the magnitude of your work and the effectiveness of what you do on a daily basis.

Vatican II Prayer for Teachers

The following excerpt is taken from Gravissimum Educationis, the Declaration on Christian Education from the Second Vatican Council:

“Intimately linked in charity to one another and to their students and endowed with an apostolic spirit, may teachers by their life as much as by their instruction bear witness to Christ, the unique Teacher.” (no. 8)