“In times of war and extreme polarization, sport is one of the few things that bring us closer together,” the pope said in a video released on X on June 2.
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of June is for the value of sports.
“In times of war and extreme polarization, sport is one of the few things that bring us closer together,” the pope said in a video released on X on June 2.
He added: “Let us pray this June that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that it may promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.”
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:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord of life,
we thank you for the gift of sport,
for those who glorify God through the exercise of their bodies,
for the friendships born on the field
and the joy of playing as a team.
You teach us that in life, as in the game,
no one is saved alone.
We need others to grow,
to learn respect, to overcome our limits,
and to celebrate together the victories we achieve.
We ask that sport may always be
a school of fraternity, not of empty rivalry,
a space of encounter, not exclusion,
a path of peace, not violence.
May those who play, train, or cheer
discover in sport a universal language
that brings cultures together, unites peoples,
and sows respect, solidarity, and personal growth.
Lord Jesus,
may every sport become a parable of life lived with you,
working with joy and effort,
living with humility in defeat
and with gratitude in the victory you offer in your resurrection.
May your Spirit never be lacking in us,
making us one team, united with you
to build communion and fraternity in history.
Amen.
“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.
By Francesca Pollio Fenton
This article was originally published by EWTN News on June 2, 2026.
