In honor of Pope Francis

Since a new Pope has finally been named and because he's taken the name Francis, it got me thinking about a hymn I liked when I was young. I went to a  Catholic elementary school and so Mass was a major part of the education in that they had all students attend church on Wednesdays. Why they picked Wednesday I don't know but anyway, the hymn I really liked that we sang quite a bit was based off of a prayer by St. Francis of Assisi. I liked it because it seems like a guide to how to bring a bit more good in the world. Since in his first address, the new Pope Francis asked everyone to pray for him, this is my prayer for him, using the words that St. Francis supposedly prayed-as St. Francis is the new Pope's namesake. I've written the lyrics to the hymn first and then my prayer at the bottom.

Prayer of St. Francis (Hymn Version)
(Music and lyrics by Sebastian Temple 

Make me a channel of your peace:

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love,

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,

And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace:

Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope,

Where there is darkness, only light,

And where there's sadness, ever joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved, as to love with all my soul!

Make me a channel of your peace:

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

In giving of ourselves that we receive,

And in dying that we are born to eternal life

I pray:

 That Pope Francis does bring peace to a church that's experiencing many problems.

That he helps provide support to people that feel lost

That the Pope makes even more efforts to help those who have been injured by priests

That the Pope can help bring the church back to something that even more people can feel comfortable supporting as I think that there's a lot of people with doubts about the Catholic church

That the Pope can help bring hope to people who feel they have none

That the Pope brings more light to those who feel their world is dark

Finally, I pray that the Pope can help the Catholic church to be even more associated with the good things that religion can bring: love, hope, and happiness.