Pope Francis in Dialogue with Children Reminds Them to Pray Everyday and to Pray for an End to War - VIDEO
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DIALOGUE OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS WITH CHILDREN
ON THE OCCASION OF THE "WORLD MEETING ON HUMAN FRATERNITY":
#BeHuman" at the “Children: Future Generation” table
New Synod Hall on Saturday, May 11, 2024
________________________________________
Dear boys and girls, I thank you for your presence: good afternoon!
I also thank Commander [Aldo Cagnoli] who started this: he made a nice takeoff, congratulations! And now I'll ask a question, let's see who is the bravest to answer. What is happiness? You, come on, strong!... He's thinking... You, tell me.
Child - Love You so much!
Girl - For me, happiness in the world is being all united, being one family, God's family.
Child - For me, happiness in the world is peace.
Pope Francis - Ah well! Another one that means... some brave people raise your hand...
Girl - I love you Papa!
Pope Francis - But how do you get happiness? Where do you buy it, how do you do it? Come on…
Child - Making peace.
Pope Francis - Making peace. But I asked a question: where can you buy happiness?
Girl - It's an emotion you feel when you try something you like.
Pope Francis - Good good!
He gave a good answer: I asked where you can buy happiness, and he said "you can't buy happiness". This is true?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - But if happiness can't be bought, how can I be happy?
Child - When everyone is fine.
Pope Francis - Well: when everyone is well, it is a part of more.
Child - Like a sweet gift, something…
Pope Francis - When we make peace, we are happy. There, on that side...
Child - With kind words.
Pope Francis - Ah, but this is good. And tell me something, you: if one insults another, can he be happy?
Child - No.
Pope Francis - I ask you all: if one insults another, can he be happy?
Children - No!
Child - Being together.
Pope Francis - Being together: this is true, because being friends, playing together, studying together gives us the happiness of community.
Child - Being in contact with God.
Pope Francis - Ah, good. Let's hear this: he said one thing, that we can be happy by being in contact with God. Is this true or not?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - Are you convinced?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - Now I will ask a very difficult question, listen carefully: how can you stay in contact with God? You, come on, yes, you…
Child - Pray every day.
Pope Francis - Pray every day. I ask you and another, here...
Girl - Loving.
Pope Francis
Loving. And by arguing among ourselves, will we be happy?
Children - No!
Pope Francis
It is true? And a question: today have you heard that there is a lot of war in the world, in war, is there happiness?
Children - No!
Pope Francis - Where is the happiness?
Children - In peace.
Pope Francis - I didn't hear well...
Children - In peace!
Pope Francis
Well done, well done…
Girl
Peace can also be found by praying for an end to war.
Pope Francis
Praying for the war to end. You know that there are children who are at war, do you know this?
Children
Yes!
Pope Francis
Those children, sometimes, don't have anything to eat, they are afraid of bombs, of bad things... But if a child is on this side of the war, and another on this other side of the war - listen to the question - are they enemies?
Children - No!
Pope Francis - This is the difficult question: why aren't they enemies?
Children - Because it's not their fault if there is war.
Pope Francis
It's not their fault there is war.
Child
Because they are all family.
Pope Francis
All children are all family. All right. And you? Strong…
Child
To avoid war you must share peace with love...
Pope Francis - With love. All right.
Announcer - Holy Father, we have a child who wrote a question: can I?
Pope Francis
She asked – or he, I can't see it clearly – he asked for a prayer for his grandmother. I ask a question: do you have grandparents?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - Do you have a grandmother and do you have a grandfather?
Children - Yes - No
Pope Francis
Now let's do something: all together, in silence, let's pray a Hail Mary for the grandparents. Agree? […] Long live the grandparents!
Announcer - Are there any other written questions that you have prepared? You…
Child - How do you become friends?
Pope Francis
First of all, think well of others. How is the first thing to become friends? [all: “Thinking well of others”]. If one thinks badly of the other, can he be a friend?
Children - No!
Pope Francis
ON THE OCCASION OF THE "WORLD MEETING ON HUMAN FRATERNITY":
#BeHuman" at the “Children: Future Generation” table
New Synod Hall on Saturday, May 11, 2024
________________________________________
Dear boys and girls, I thank you for your presence: good afternoon!
I also thank Commander [Aldo Cagnoli] who started this: he made a nice takeoff, congratulations! And now I'll ask a question, let's see who is the bravest to answer. What is happiness? You, come on, strong!... He's thinking... You, tell me.
Child - Love You so much!
Girl - For me, happiness in the world is being all united, being one family, God's family.
Child - For me, happiness in the world is peace.
Pope Francis - Ah well! Another one that means... some brave people raise your hand...
Girl - I love you Papa!
Pope Francis - But how do you get happiness? Where do you buy it, how do you do it? Come on…
Child - Making peace.
Pope Francis - Making peace. But I asked a question: where can you buy happiness?
Girl - It's an emotion you feel when you try something you like.
Pope Francis - Something you like is fine…
Child - Happiness cannot be bought: it comes right from us.Pope Francis - Good good!
He gave a good answer: I asked where you can buy happiness, and he said "you can't buy happiness". This is true?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - But if happiness can't be bought, how can I be happy?
Child - When everyone is fine.
Pope Francis - Well: when everyone is well, it is a part of more.
Child - Like a sweet gift, something…
Pope Francis- All right. Another answer? There are many there…
Girl - When we make peace.Pope Francis - When we make peace, we are happy. There, on that side...
Child - With kind words.
Pope Francis - Ah, but this is good. And tell me something, you: if one insults another, can he be happy?
Child - No.
Pope Francis - I ask you all: if one insults another, can he be happy?
Children - No!
Child - Being together.
Pope Francis - Being together: this is true, because being friends, playing together, studying together gives us the happiness of community.
Child - Being in contact with God.
Pope Francis - Ah, good. Let's hear this: he said one thing, that we can be happy by being in contact with God. Is this true or not?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - Are you convinced?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - Now I will ask a very difficult question, listen carefully: how can you stay in contact with God? You, come on, yes, you…
Child - Pray every day.
Pope Francis - Pray every day. I ask you and another, here...
Girl - Loving.
Pope Francis
Loving. And by arguing among ourselves, will we be happy?
Children - No!
Pope Francis
It is true? And a question: today have you heard that there is a lot of war in the world, in war, is there happiness?
Children - No!
Pope Francis - Where is the happiness?
Children - In peace.
Pope Francis - I didn't hear well...
Children - In peace!
Pope Francis
Well done, well done…
Girl
Peace can also be found by praying for an end to war.
Pope Francis
Praying for the war to end. You know that there are children who are at war, do you know this?
Children
Yes!
Pope Francis
Those children, sometimes, don't have anything to eat, they are afraid of bombs, of bad things... But if a child is on this side of the war, and another on this other side of the war - listen to the question - are they enemies?
Children - No!
Pope Francis - This is the difficult question: why aren't they enemies?
Children - Because it's not their fault if there is war.
Pope Francis
It's not their fault there is war.
Child
Because they are all family.
Pope Francis
All children are all family. All right. And you? Strong…
Child
To avoid war you must share peace with love...
Pope Francis - With love. All right.
Announcer - Holy Father, we have a child who wrote a question: can I?
Pope Francis - Come on…
Child - I would like to ask you to say a prayer for my grandmother.Pope Francis
She asked – or he, I can't see it clearly – he asked for a prayer for his grandmother. I ask a question: do you have grandparents?
Children - Yes!
Pope Francis - Do you have a grandmother and do you have a grandfather?
Children - Yes - No
Pope Francis
Now let's do something: all together, in silence, let's pray a Hail Mary for the grandparents. Agree? […] Long live the grandparents!
Announcer - Are there any other written questions that you have prepared? You…
Child - How do you become friends?
Pope Francis
First of all, think well of others. How is the first thing to become friends? [all: “Thinking well of others”]. If one thinks badly of the other, can he be a friend?
Children - No!
Pope Francis
No, really. I thank you so much for this. I don't want to bore you with questions. Thank you so much for what you do. Courage and forward. All together we say: courage and forward!
Children - Courage and forward!
Pope Francis - I can not hear!
Children - Courage and forward!
Pope Francis - Thank you very much, thank you, thank you.
Announcer - Holy Father, one last question: why children? Why this day? There are so many current issues, why did you insist so much on World Children's Day? Why? How did this happen to you?
Pope Francis
One thinks that the future of humanity lies in adults who can do this, that, that... But this is not the case. The future of humanity is in the two ends: it is in the children and the elderly. When children meet their grandparents. And this is a beautiful thing, and we have to take care of the old people, the grandparents and the children. And this will be the future, because grandparents give wisdom to us, and children learn the wisdom of their grandparents. Grandparents have a whole past that gives us a lot, children have a future that receives from the past. And for this reason I believe that it is very important to help children grow and develop.
But there is another thing. Once, I read a spiritual writer who said that he wanted to be in the arms of God like a child in his mother's arms. I am looking at this child: this child does not defend himself, this child sleeps, this child is safe because he is in his mother's arms. We, with God, must be like this: safe in God's arms like a child in his mother's arms.
Let's see if we understand: how should we be with God?
Children - Like a child in his mother's arms.
Pope Francis - I'm confused…
Children - Like a child in his mother's arms.
Pope Francis - Don't forget this. With God, be like a child in its mother's arms. And look at this child, how beautiful: he sleeps, safe, without anxiety, because he has security. Look at him carefully… A round of applause for this child!
And thank you so much for all this; thanks to all of you, thanks to the Commander. And now let's hope it brings us a good landing so we can continue. Thank you.
[Signing of the “Declaration of the Fraternity of Children”]
Now we can finish and I give my blessing to everyone.
[Blessing]
Thanks so much, and see you soon.
FULL TEXT - Children's Declaration on Fraternity
The text of the declaration is two pages long, adopting the language and spontaneity of children. Here is a full translation:
"What does it really mean to live as brothers and sisters? First of all, to understand that we are like the roots of an ancient tree: we embrace each other underground, without even realizing it, in a silent alliance of life, supporting each other against the storms of time.
And what would a tree be without its roots? The roots of our humanity sink into the fertile soil of solidarity, grow in the garden of encounter, flourish in the peace of creation, and require constant care, constant attention, and constant work in which we must all discover ourselves as attentive gardeners.
Our roots remind us that, despite the diversity of branches, we share the same life, the same dream, that of a world where love is the only fruit that can truly make us happy because, as the Argentine poet Bernardéz wrote, "what the tree has in bloom, lives from what it has buried."
That is why we invite every adult and every child to plant seeds of hope, to make actions of tenderness sprout; let's synchronize our hearts to the rhythm of the world because we are travelers on the same path, seekers of the same truth, we are one human family, and together we can build a planet where love knocks down all barriers and where fraternity is the mother tongue of all.
We truly believe in dreams: when we are children, we dream of a world where everyone, but really everyone, can have a place where we feel at home. A place where we can be ourselves, be seen, loved, welcomed, and supported.
We dream of a world where every child, everywhere, can live in peace, where it is possible to grow, study, play, be free, and happy.
A world where differences are not a reason for confrontation or war, but where they are accepted because everyone is different, and that makes the world more beautiful. A world where the weakest are supported, without being judged; where those who have the most difficulty keeping up are awaited and accompanied, and where those who are more advanced are ready to wait and help; where those with greater possibilities help those in difficulty.
But alone, we can’t achieve this!
It also depends on you: we want to see adults with positive and serene relationships, based on acceptance, inclusion, dialogue, respect, forgiveness, and solidarity.
We want to see that you are capable of free friendship, the kind that helps to climb the mountains of fear, sadness, difficulties, and loneliness.
Show us that sincere friendship allows us to overcome oppression, isolation, and the fear of feeling inadequate.
Show us that you are truly "brothers and sisters to everyone," without distinction of birth, economic status, religious belief, education, or ethnic background. We are ready to be friends to everybody, everybody, everybody, as Jesus - the most special Friend - taught us.
Help us realize our dreams in a better world, where we have the opportunity to have a future, without the future gradually destroying all our dreams.
Let us walk together, with you, adults, who accompany us, on this path of peace and understanding, of fraternity and growth, of welcome and hope.
Only in this way, when together we have hands dirty with earth and hearts full of heaven, will we discover ourselves happy, will we discover ourselves truly human, brothers to all and guardians of our common home."
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