Pope Francis institutes World Children's Day: peace, environment and fraternityEstefania LanderasThe Lord wants children to know Him".In December 2023, at the Angelus on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope Francis announced that the first World Children's Day will be held in Rome from May 25-26, 2024.
The Dicastery for Culture and Education sponsored the initiative and organizers anticipate that "thousands of boys and girls" from around the world and faithful little disciples of Jesus will gather in Rome on its first official day.
It is certainly inspiring and good news to hear about the upcoming World Children's Day, especially at a time when we live in a world where we dispose of children as if they were inhuman. For example, today, we have normalized, accepted and, in some circles, encouraged very late-term abortions. Moreover, we intentionally remain childless, not seeing the vocation of motherhood as a precious gift.
Also, in many American cities, children are killing each other and the streets are a bloodbath. There seems to be nowhere to run or hide, and it can seem like a war against children, as it once was when King Herod executed children. The first reading for the feast of the Holy Innocents says, "Out of Egypt I called my son." Our Lord so threatened King Herod that he slaughtered countless children. If he had seen the joy and lessons that children bring to everyone, our Holy Family would not have had to flee. And all we have to do is spend just a few moments with a child, and we will encounter God's greatest treasures.
Learning from children
Not long ago, on November 6, the Holy Father received in audience in the Paul VI Hall children from 84 countries. The event "Children Meet the Pope" was organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education with the theme: "Let us learn from children".
The children warmly welcomed Pope Francis and, upon his entrance, he was greeted by "children representing five continents, from Syria, Ukraine, Benin, Guatemala and Australia". The Holy Father answered questions prepared by fourteen children of various nationalities. Some of the questions asked were: What do you dream about at night? Can you explain to us how peace is made? In your opinion, why do children get killed during wars and nobody defends them? What is the most important thing you have experienced in your life? The Pope kindly answered all of them.
In his speech, he thanked everyone for attending, both the children and those accompanying them; he also extended his gratitude to the Dicastery for Culture and Education for their efforts, as well as to the organizers and associations for "giving us this great joy of being here." He also stated that the "theme of our meeting is "Let us learn from children," and said he understood if anyone found it "a strange title." Aren't children the ones who need to learn? But His Holiness took the occasion to revel in the gifts of God's children.
The joy of childhood
The Pope shared his feelings of joy when he had the opportunity to meet the children because he learned from them and because he said, "You remind me how beautiful life is in its simplicity, and how beautiful it is to be together!" And he continued, "I see it in your lively eyes and in your smiles; I hear it in your squeaky voices, in the songs you have sung and in the bursts of joy that vibrate throughout this room. These are the cheers with which we want to fill the world, not the cheers of bombs, but the cheers of your joy and your joyful laughter...".
The message comes at a time of war in Holy Land and Ukraine, and in other places where children are so often displaced and witness abject violence. The Pope also reminded the children and those in attendance that "Jesus has given us, the immense family of the Church, open to all the children of the world. For this is how it should be: wherever they go, all the children of this world should always feel at home, always welcomed with such love....".
If we open our eyes and ears, we will hear God's messages through the lips and actions of his little angels on earth. A Spanish-speaking girl went viral for her tribute to Jesus on social networks. In it, she holds a comic book in her hands and throws it and denounces the traditional "superheroes" and their costumes and "bombs" and says: "There is good news, the ultimate comic book, the best superhero in the world is this baby sent from heaven to save us all... I say Jesusito... Jesusito because he is humble". Maybe he should be on the World Children's Day committee.
The idea of a day dedicated to children was suggested to the Pope in July by a boy named Alessandro. What a clever boy!
