Q339 – If a pope’s intentions aren’t Catholic, can we still pray for them to gain an indulgence?

Interview Organization: The Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima
Interviewer Name: Christopher Wendt
Date: January 13, 2025
We should simply pray for the intention of the Pope without specifying his name. This general prayer is sufficient, even if his specific intentions are unclear. God accepts sincere prayers aligned with the Catholic faith and purifies them. Our good intention is what matters, and the Lord will surely accept it.
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Transcript:

I think we should simply pray for the intention of the Roman Pontiff. That would be sufficient. It’s not required to explicitly say, “Let us pray for the intention of Pope Francis.” But if we pray for the intention of the Pope, it will be sufficient. In this way, even if Pope Francis has some specific intentions, which we may not know or which may not be entirely clear or aligned with the fullness of truth, we can still pray for the Pope’s intentions in general. The Lord will accept these prayers from our hearts, our good intentions to always pray for intentions that fully correspond to the Catholic faith. This is our intention, and the Lord will accept it and purify it. Surely.