THE HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR DECEMBER

(November 30, 2009) Here’s a brief reflection on the General Prayer Intention of the Holy Father for the month of December – that children may be respected, loved, and never exploited. "My thoughts go to all the children of the world, especially those who live in difficult conditions and suffer due to violence, abuses, sickness war or hunger." These were the comments of Pope Benedict XVI recently during his weekly general audience on Nov. 18, two days ahead of the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, the first legally binding and most widely ratified international treaty to affirm human rights for all children. Pope Benedict called for greater international efforts to ensure basic human rights for children, saying he was praying for all young people who suffer. While urging all to join him in prayer, Benedict appealed to world governments to commit themselves to ensuring the treaty's goals are met "so that the rights of children be recognized and their dignity ever more respected." Amidst the joys, festivities and fun of the holiday season of Christmas, we are called to ponder upon the deeper issues of the birth of Jesus. He was born away from home in difficult circumstances. Later, His family fled with Him to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. As we celebrate the birthday of the Babe of Bethlehem in the month of December, let us join the Holy Father in praying for children around the world that they be respected, loved, and never exploited.