During Pope Francis' Surprise Visit to 200 Children's 1st Communion Class he Reminds them to Pray Even in the Dark Moments and Gave them Rosaries
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Pope Francis made a surprise visit to children preparing for their First Holy Communion, responding freely to their questions for 50 minutes.
The Pope visited about 200 children preparing for their First Holy Communion at St. John Maria Vianney Parish on the outskirts of Rome.
The meeting marked the first of a long series of meetings that form part of the Year of Prayer started as a spiritual preparation for the Jubilee Year of 2025.
Pope Francis wanted to emphasize the importance of "saying thank you for everything," to parents, friends, teachers, and catechists, but, first and foremost, "to God."
"It is important to say thank you for everything. For example, if you enter someone's house and don't say thank you and then excuse me, or don't greet them, is that nice?" The first word, therefore, the Pope said, is "thank you." In addition to showing gratitude, he reminded them to ask permission when appropriate, and to recognize when to apologize.
"Three words: thank you, excuse me, sorry," he said.
Prayer, the Pope stressed, should never be lacking, even in the "dark moments" of life.
"What are they?" he asked. "When someone dies, when someone faints, when you argue with a friend."
Alice, who is battling illness herself, who asked, "How can I thank the Lord in illness?"
"Even in dark moments," the Holy Father responded, "we must thank the Lord because He gives us the patience to endure difficulties."
"Even in dark moments, we must thank the Lord because He gives us the patience to endure difficulties.”
"Let's say together," the Pope encouraged, "thank you Lord for giving us the strength to endure pain."
'How do you pray?'
"But do you pray? How do you pray? What can you say to the Lord?" he asked again.
One of the children stood up, remembering that with his family, he always prays before eating.
"He said something important," the Pope said as a response. "But do you know," he asked, "that there are many children who have nothing to eat?"
"Do I thank the Lord for giving me something to eat? Do I thank Him for giving me a family?" he asked them.
“Do I thank the Lord for giving me something to eat? Do I thank Him for giving me a family?”
'Thank you for giving me faith'
The last question touched on the theme of faith.
"Are you Christians?" Pope Francis asked, "do you have faith?"
"Let's say it together," he urged, "thank you Lord for giving me faith."
“Let's say it together: thank you Lord for giving me faith.”
Sofia, who will receive Communion in a few days, said she was shaken by news of wars, which led to a question about how to say "thank you" in such a tragic moment?"
"We must thank Him always, in every moment," he said.
Pope Francis concluded by giving the children a recommendation.
"Before going to sleep," he said, "think: 'what can I thank the Lord for today? Give thanks.'"
“We must thank Him always, in every moment”
Pope Francis ended the meeting by reciting with the children a "Thanksgiving Prayer" composed for the occasion and printed on a leaflet with the Jubilee logo.
To each child, the Holy Father handed out rosaries.
"I brought you rosaries and also chocolate eggs?" Pope Francis had announced, asking, "Do you want the Rosaries or the Eggs?"
“I brought you rosaries and also chocolate eggs? Do you want the rosaries or the eggs?”
The little ones were divided on the issue
To their teachers and to the priests, the Holy Father gave the first six published volumes of the series 'Notes on Prayer,' aids designed by the First Section of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and published by the Vatican Publishing House, to support pastoral and prayer life ahead of the imminent Jubilee Year of Hope.
Source: Vatican News
"It is important to say thank you for everything. For example, if you enter someone's house and don't say thank you and then excuse me, or don't greet them, is that nice?" The first word, therefore, the Pope said, is "thank you." In addition to showing gratitude, he reminded them to ask permission when appropriate, and to recognize when to apologize.
"Three words: thank you, excuse me, sorry," he said.
Prayer, the Pope stressed, should never be lacking, even in the "dark moments" of life.
"What are they?" he asked. "When someone dies, when someone faints, when you argue with a friend."
Alice, who is battling illness herself, who asked, "How can I thank the Lord in illness?"
"Even in dark moments," the Holy Father responded, "we must thank the Lord because He gives us the patience to endure difficulties."
"Even in dark moments, we must thank the Lord because He gives us the patience to endure difficulties.”
"Let's say together," the Pope encouraged, "thank you Lord for giving us the strength to endure pain."
'How do you pray?'
"But do you pray? How do you pray? What can you say to the Lord?" he asked again.
One of the children stood up, remembering that with his family, he always prays before eating.
"He said something important," the Pope said as a response. "But do you know," he asked, "that there are many children who have nothing to eat?"
"Do I thank the Lord for giving me something to eat? Do I thank Him for giving me a family?" he asked them.
“Do I thank the Lord for giving me something to eat? Do I thank Him for giving me a family?”
'Thank you for giving me faith'
The last question touched on the theme of faith.
"Are you Christians?" Pope Francis asked, "do you have faith?"
"Let's say it together," he urged, "thank you Lord for giving me faith."
“Let's say it together: thank you Lord for giving me faith.”
Sofia, who will receive Communion in a few days, said she was shaken by news of wars, which led to a question about how to say "thank you" in such a tragic moment?"
"We must thank Him always, in every moment," he said.
Pope Francis concluded by giving the children a recommendation.
"Before going to sleep," he said, "think: 'what can I thank the Lord for today? Give thanks.'"
“We must thank Him always, in every moment”
Pope Francis ended the meeting by reciting with the children a "Thanksgiving Prayer" composed for the occasion and printed on a leaflet with the Jubilee logo.
To each child, the Holy Father handed out rosaries.
"I brought you rosaries and also chocolate eggs?" Pope Francis had announced, asking, "Do you want the Rosaries or the Eggs?"
“I brought you rosaries and also chocolate eggs? Do you want the rosaries or the eggs?”
The little ones were divided on the issue
To their teachers and to the priests, the Holy Father gave the first six published volumes of the series 'Notes on Prayer,' aids designed by the First Section of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and published by the Vatican Publishing House, to support pastoral and prayer life ahead of the imminent Jubilee Year of Hope.
Source: Vatican News
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