Fr Cristóbal Fones SJ, the International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (PWPN), recently made his apostolic visit to Asia Pacific. From 17 to 27 February, he visited Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste to strengthen ties with local communities and promote PWPN’s mission and initiatives: The Way of the Heart, Click To Pray, and The Pope Video.
In Malaysia, Fr Fones marked PWPN’s 180th anniversary at a special event in Loyola Hall at the Church of St Francis Xavier, Petaling Jaya. The celebration drew 300 participants from various parishes nationwide. Attendees included Archbishop Julian Leow of Kuala Lumpur, Fr Alberto Irenus SJ (PWPN Continental Coordinator for Asia Pacific), Fr Lawrence Andrew SJ (former Coordinator of PWPN Malaysia), and Fr Alvin Ng SJ (Parish Priest of the Church of St Francis Xavier).
Fr Fones underscored that PWPN is not a movement but a global network of prayer. As apostles of prayer, PWPN’s mission is to unite the entire Church in prayer through the Pope’s monthly intentions. He emphasised encountering Jesus deeply through The Way of the Heart, a nine-step spiritual journey inspired by St Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is not merely a practice but an invitation to enter into Christ’s heart—a central theme in Pope Francis’ encyclical Dilexit Nos.
A gifted composer, Fr Fones entertained the congregation with performances of his original compositions. His natural gift for singing, storytelling and presentation left audiences both inspired and uplifted.
At a closed-session dinner at La Salle Hall, Fr Fones lauded the initiatives of PWPN Malaysia such as the Conversation Hour on YouTube, which facilitates spiritual discussions in English, Bahasa, and Mandarin. Highlighting the importance of engaging youth, he encouraged members to foster organic conversations around the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions, rooted in Scripture, and concluded with an examen.
Fr Fones also stressed producing local materials, saying that the Gospel must be inculturated. While international resources are valuable, he noted that locally created content enriches spiritual engagement. He expressed admiration for Archbishop Julian Leow’s longstanding support for PWPN initiatives like Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer, published by Jesuits in Malaysia-Singapore for over three decades.
During his visit to Singapore, Fr Fones met with Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Marek Zalewski, Singapore Ambassador to the Holy See Janet Ang, local church officials, editors at Catholic News, members of Jesuit Refugee Service and Christian Life Community, among other groups. Discussions centred on religious tolerance and engaging diverse youth representatives.
Fr Fones clarified that PWPN is not a programme but a global network uniting people in prayer for humanity’s challenges. He encouraged existing prayer groups to adopt the Pope’s intentions as their guide while deepening their relationship with Christ through The Way of the Heart.
His engagements in Indonesia and Timor-Leste likewise emphasised PWPN’s priorities of prayer, compassion, and inculturation.
His trip to Indonesia included visits to religious and cultural sites in both Jakarta and Yogyakarta, as well as meetings with young people and local communities. In Yogyakarta, local musicians held a concert exploring the nine steps of the Way of the Heart.
In Timor-Leste, Fr Fornes’s trip coincided with the six-month anniversary of Pope Francis’ visit to the island. Fr Venâncio da Costa Pereira SJ, PWPN National Animator, accompanied Fr Fornes in visiting the archdiocese of Dili and the dioceses of Baucau and Maliana, where he celebrated and shared moments of formation and the Eucharist with numerous groups from the Apostleship of Prayer and the Eucharistic Youth Movement.
This article contains reports from The Beacon, a publication of the Jesuits of Malaysia-Singapore, and The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer website.