This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of October

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of October is for the mental health ministry.

“Melancholy, bad character, confusion of senses — today, we understand that behind these old labels lies a deep, silent suffering not only of those affected by mental disorders but also of their loved ones and their communities,” Pope Leo said in a video released Oct. 1 on X.

He added: “We live in a world full of tensions, and even as solutions grow so does the number of people in crisis. This October, let us pray for the mental health ministry — an urgent and ever more needed service in our Church and in the world.”

In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:

“God of life,

You know the innermost depths of our hearts —

the light and shadows within us,

the silent wounds that sometimes no one sees.

Today we bring before you our brothers and sisters

who struggle with challenges to their mental health,

who suffer in solitude with anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness.

You call them by name, with tenderness,

and in you they find dignity and…