Pope Benedict XVI announces his special prayer intentions for each month--particular things that he wishes all Catholics to pray for. (When, for instance, we pray the rosary and say the prayers at the end for the intentions of the Holy Father, these are the intentions for which we're praying.)
Pope Benedict offers two intentions every month, one general, and one for a particular Catholic missionary activity. His general prayer intention for September 2008 is "That those who, because of wars or oppressive regimes, are forced to leave their homes and country may be supported by Christians in the defence and protection of their rights." The Holy Father undoubtedly has in mind the continued exodus of Christians from Iraq, as a result of the American-led war that both he and Pope John Paul II opposed.
Pope Benedict's mission intention is "That, faithful to the sacrament of matrimony, every Christian family may cultivate the values of love and communion in order to be a small evangelising community, sensitive and open to the material and spiritual needs of its brothers." To that end, if we are married and have children, we might commit ourselves to praying the Prayer of Parents for Their Children every day this month. And if we are not yet married, the Church recognizes that a strong marriage starts before we exchange vows with our future spouse and offers us a beautiful Prayer of an Engaged Couple.
(Photo by Maurizio Brambatti-Pool/Getty Images)
I particularly liked this idea of letting us pray with the pope as a christian community. Perhaps you could make his monthly intentions a regular feature – I can even use this focused prayer intention at perpetual adoration.