What began as a spontaneous online call for prayers from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles ended up becoming part of the Vatican’s own coverage of Pope Francis’ long hospitalization.
It was Feb. 25 when the archdiocese’s social media channels first invited followers to reply with videos expressing prayerful support for the pope. Chief Digital Officer Sarah Yaklic wasn’t expecting such a quick response.
“Within two minutes, we had our first video,” Yaklic told Angelus. “It showed the true outpouring of the faithful wanting to pray together as a community for the pope.”
The ensuing flood of videos, text messages, and prayers submitted by well-wishers at parishes and schools throughout the archdiocese (as well as a few outside of California) was compiled into a five-minute long video titled “To Pope Francis With Love” that was published March 3.
A few days after the video was first shared on YouTube, Facebook, and X, it became the subject of a news story in Vatican News, the Holy See’s online news portal with content in more than 40 languages.
“After he prayed for them, Los Angeles is praying for him” read the headline on Vatican News’ English home page Friday, March 7. The article was also the lead story in Vatican News’ English email newsletter that day.
The article noted that in one sense, LA was almost returning a favor to Pope Francis, who had made a point of praying publicly multiple times in January for those affected by the devastating Southern California wildfires that month.
Weeks later, as the Holy Father was hospitalized with serious respiratory issues, Angelenos joined Catholics around the world in fervent prayer for the pope’s physical and spiritual health. Prayers for Francis took center stage at the recent Religious Education Congress, while parishes and schools across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles held special Masses and prayer services with the pope in mind.
The Vatican News article noted that the video came about “after Archbishop Gomez and the archdiocese posted a simple call for prayers for Pope Francis during his hospitalization” and “prayers for the Holy Father’s health and betterment began to pour in.”
The video begins, “Dear Pope Francis, in your time of need, we wanted to let you know …” followed by a group of students from St. Monica Preparatory in Santa Monica shouting, “We hope you feel better. We love you, Pope Francis!”
From there, a string of videos and messages offer personal pledges of prayer and support.
“Thank you for always being there for us, and praying for us. I pray for you now in this moment that you may be better soon,” said a female student from St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in Downey.
“We’re praying for you, Pope Francis,” said a youth ministry group at St. Gertrude the Great Church in Bell Gardens.
There are even prayers from those outside the area, including a group from Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, a priest from Queen of Peace Church in Waterloo, Iowa, and a priest and parishioners from St. James the Great Church in the Philippines.
The video concludes: “Get well soon, Pope Francis! From LA Catholics ... and a few friends.”
The archdiocese’s Digital Team has previously helped produce three videos for Francis’ monthly prayer intentions in collaboration with the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, including one from July 2024 in which Francis reflected on the importance of the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.
Yaklic explained how that collaboration helped lay the groundwork for the spontaneous video’s viral success.
“Since our Digital Team produced videos to help Pope Francis invite the global community to pray for his monthly intentions, we thought it would be fitting to invite our community and friends to submit video messages for the Holy Father during this time,” said Yaklic. “We hope that we will inspire more faithful to share their well-wishes with Pope Francis and unite in prayer with Catholics around the world in praying for the Holy Father, especially those who have been praying daily in St. Peter’s Square.”
On March 6, Francis offered a response of his own to the global outpouring of prayers with a 27-second audio message recorded earlier that day thanking people for their prayers. The message was played during the nightly prayer vigil for the pope’s health in St. Peter’s Square led by Vatican cardinals.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square; I accompany you from here,” said Francis in Spanish with labored breathing. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”
Watch the video at lacatholics.org/pray-for-pope-francis.
