Father Jim Kubicki, SJ, the U.S. Director for the Apostleship of Prayer, notified the West River Catholic that next year at this time Catholics around the world will be praying for food producers thanks to an idea for a papal prayer intention submitted by Bishop Blase Cupich.

    Father Kubicki formerly served in the Diocese of Rapid City. In February 2007 he gave a parish mission in Sturgis. During his return to the diocese he had dinner with the bishop. “In the course of our conversation Bishop Cupich wondered why the pope did not seem to have an intention for farmers and ranchers,” said Kubicki.

    Bishop Cupich said, “We often encourage prayers for moisture and for those working the land. The universal church should be made aware of this need by having them included in one of the monthly intentions of the Holy Father. Taking me up on this, Father Kubicki asked me to draft something. I was pleased to see that the prayer for April 2009 represents to a great extent what I presented. It is encouraging to know that the Holy Father is asking people around the world to pray for this particular intention in April and that he personally will be doing so in solidarity with all who work the land.”

    Since the 1880s the Holy Father has had a monthly intention that he gives to the church through the Apostleship of Prayer. In 1928 a second monthly intention for the missions was added. The national directors offer suggestions for these intentions. Also, suggestions come from various Vatican offices and congregations. It’s estimated that over 200 suggestions are made.

    According to research done by Father Kubicki, (based on information written by retired Father Herbert Smith, SJ,) the Apostleship office in Rome sifts through and consolidates the submissions. The results are sent to European national secretaries of the Apostleship for reflection. Later, they meet and condense them down to 16 general intentions.
The 16 suggestions are presented to the Jesuit general, who also is director general of the Apostleship; he further refines them. Meanwhile, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples prepares the mission intentions.

    At the end of November, 16 general and 16 mission intentions are submitted to the Vatican secretary of state to be presented to the Holy Father. The pope selects 12 pairs and makes any desired changes. The pope reviews the final version and signs it. He presents it to the director general in Rome after the last Mass of the year on New Year’s Eve.
At this point, the Apostleship takes over as servant of the pope and the church. It prepares multiple translations of the official text, plus unofficial shortened versions for posters and leaflets.

   Here is the April 2009 intention as it was received from the international Apostleship of Prayer office. It is the General Intention for that month.

   “Farmers and World Hunger. That our Lord may bless farmers with abundant harvests and sensitize the richer nations to respond to the ravages of hunger throughout the world.

“The ‘hunger dimension’ was added by the Holy Father,” thought Father Kubicki.