Pope Francis speaks with children served by the Vatican's St. Martha pediatric clinic as well as staff and volunteers during a special pre-Christmas meeting Dec. 22, 2019, in the Vatican audience hall. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Before Christmas, Pope Francis meets with children, talks about St. Joseph

449 0

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When a group of children sang a belated “Happy Birthday” to Pope Francis and gave him a big cake, he needed to think twice before not eating some of it before lunch.

“The cake looks good,” the pope told children served by the St. Martha pediatric clinic at the Vatican. “Can we eat it? Yes? All of us? Or should we wait? Let’s wait, it’s more prudent.”

And, in fact, after their audience with the pope Dec. 22, the children’s celebration continued with lunch and with gifts. And, presumably, a piece of cake.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis went to the Apostolic Palace to lead the recitation of the Angelus prayer with thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

The pope’s morning meeting with the children was billed as a pre-Christmas greeting, but the little ones also used it as an opportunity to mark the pope’s 83rd birthday, which was Dec. 17.

St. Martha’s Dispensary opened at the Vatican in 1921 when a New York woman, Dula Draeck, asked Pope Benedict XV for permission to begin distributing milk to poor children in Rome. Draeck’s family owned Drycko, which produced powered milk. The dispensary grew and now includes a medical clinic serving children from low-income and migrant families.

Later, before reciting the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis offered a short reflection on the day’s Gospel reading about how St. Joseph considered quietly calling off his marriage to Mary since she was already pregnant, but an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid.

“At this point,” the pope said, “Joseph entrusts himself completely to God, obeys the word of the angel” and takes Mary as his wife.

“This unshakable faith in God helped him accept a situation that was humanly difficult,” the pope said. “Joseph understands, in faith, that the baby generated Mary’s womb is not his son, but the son of God and he, Joseph, will be his guardian, fully assuming earthly fatherhood.”

“The example of this meek and wise man calls us to raise our gaze and press ahead,” the pope said. “The surprising logic of God” isn’t about making calculations of what people will accept, but of opening their hearts “to new horizons, to Christ and his word.”

Pope Francis concluded his address with a word to families, “your families, who in these days of festivity are gathering: Those who live far from their parents and return home; brothers and sisters who try to get together. May holy Christmas be for all an occasion of fraternity, growth in faith and gestures of solidarity with those in need.”

Related Post

Teens in Houston eat lunch July 29 during the Galveston-Houston Archdiocesan Youth Conference. More than 2,600 people attended the July 28-30 event that included speakers, prayer experiences, daily Mass and confession. (CNS photo/James Ramos, Texas Catholic Herald)

‘You are a treasure,’ Texas cardinal tells Catholic youth

Posted by - August 18, 2017 0
HOUSTON (CNS) — Surrounded by thousands of teens from throughout the Houston region at the 2017 Archdiocesan Youth Conference, Cardinal…
Michiko Kodama, with glasses at far right, is seen in Washington with other peace activists near the White House Aug. 9, 2019. She was 7 years when she experienced the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, by the United States Aug. 6, 1945. (CNS photo/courtesy Art Laffin

Catholic peace advocates commemorate Hiroshima, Nagasaki anniversaries

Posted by - August 16, 2019 0
WASHINGTON (CNS) — About 40 peace advocates representing about a dozen religious communities held a special Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration…
Catherine Wiley, founder of the Catholic Grandparents Association, is pictured with singer and family values advocate Dana-Rosemary Scallon and two great-grandmothers: Rosemary Hogan and Margaret Harrington, Sept. 10 at the National Marian Shrine in Knock, Ireland. (CNS photo/Sarah Mac Donald)

Grandparents say their role has never been more crucial than today

Posted by - September 15, 2017 0
KNOCK, Ireland (CNS) — Catherine Wiley, 71-year-old grandmother of 10, believes the role of grandparents has never been more crucial…