by OSV NewsVATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics to pray “for evangelization in the city” as his August prayer intention, asking the Lord to accompany millions searching for meaning amid the noise and haste of urban life. In his monthly “Pray with the Pope” video, Pope Leo expressed his hope that urban environments may provide “fertile ground” for proclaiming the Gospel. The Chicago-born pope acknowledged that while cities are meant to be places of “freedom and opportunity,” they can also become “spaces of anonymity and isolation.” Today, almost 45% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, making cities one of the largest mission territories of our time, according to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. “Make us your witnesses in the city, bold and creative missionaries, who proclaim your Love with their lives— a Love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.”