Praying for the Pope's Intentions and for Him

Over the last few months I've seen many comments on Facebook from believing Catholics saying they can no longer pray for Francis or his intentions. I still do, but in a slightly different way than I think they're talking about.

Let's look at it in two parts, first praying for his intentions, and second, praying for him.

Since praying for the Pope's intentions is a requirement for receiving a plenary indulgence, it is very important to know what we need to pray for. Several months ago I shared a post from One Peter Five, What We Pray For When We Pray For the Intentions of the Holy Father, in which the following is pointed out,

When we pray generically for the intentions of the Holy Father, we know that four specific, objective intentions are prayed for every time. From the Raccolta, a collection of indulgences that used to be published by the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences:
23. The Pope’s intention always includes the following objects:
i. The progress of the Faith and triumph of the Church.
ii. Peace and union among Christian Princes and Rulers.
iii. The conversion of sinners.
iv. The uprooting of heresy.

Thus, no matter what the published 'intentions' are, we can pray for the Pope's intentions, knowing that we are praying for Catholic ends.

Second, can we pray for him? Yes! And indeed, we must. However, we must obviously pray for his return to the Holy Catholic Faith.

If you look at the Traditional Prayer for the Pope, you find that we are indeed praying for his conversion to the Faith, since we pray, 'that both by word and example, he may edify all those under his charge; so that, with the flock entrusted to him, he may arrive at length unto life everlasting'. Currently, he is neither edifying those under his charge, nor leading us into life everlasting, so the prayer, of necessity, is for his conversion.

V. Let us pray for Francis, the Pope.
R. May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and may the Lord not hand him over to the power of his enemies.

V. May Thy hand be upon Thine holy servant.
R. And upon Thy son whom Thou hast anointed.

Let us pray. O God, the Pastor and Ruler of all the faithful, look down, in Thy mercy, upon Thy servant, Francis, whom Thou hast appointed to preside over Thy Church; and grant, we beseech Thee, that both by word and example, he may edify all those under his charge; so that, with the flock entrusted to him, he may arrive at length unto life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

And, as well as the traditional prayer, several times each day, I pray the 'Pardon Prayer' of the Angel of Fatima,

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee,

thrice, adding to it at the end, 'Especially for our Holy Father Francis, and all those Bishops and clerics who have fallen away from the Faith'.

I urge all my readers to join me in praying for Francis and his intentions.