Pope Gives Catholicism Lesson to Children

Yahoo! News ^ | October 15, 2005 | DANIELA PETROFF

[ELS]

Pope Benedict XVI offered a rare glimpse into his past Saturday and gave a small lesson in Catholicism to children who attended his first youth rally at St. Peter's Square; an event that was reminiscent of the gatherings inspired by Pope John Paul II.

Benedict recalled the sunny, "beautiful Sunday" in 1939 that he made his First Communion at the age of 9, telling an estimated 150,000 children and their parents he had begun a "lifelong friendship with Jesus" that he hoped the children would also enjoy.

"So I went forward in my life, and thanks to God, the Lord has always taken me by the hand, guided me even in difficult situations," Benedict said.

Benedict was responding to a question about his own First Communion posed to him by a little girl who had received the sacrament for the first time this year. Communion is the sacrament in which Catholics receive bread and wine that they believe is the body and blood of Christ.

Benedict had invited all children who had made their First Communions in 2005 to attend the Vatican rally, which was full of singing and dancing, including break-dancing, and was reminiscent of the youth rallies favored by John Paul.

And John Paul's spirit was very much present Saturday, with announcers referring to him repeatedly and a montage of the late pope's many meetings with children broadcast on giant screens in the square.

Children leapfrogged over one another on the steps of St. Peter's as the late-afternoon ceremony began, but the rally turned more reverent once Benedict arrived, touring the square in his white jeep and passing by a dozen people on stilts.

During a question-and-answer session with a half-dozen children, one boy told the pope that he had been told that Christ was really present in the Eucharist, or Communion.

"But how? I don't see him," the boy said. Benedict chuckled.

"We don't see him, but there are so many things that we don't see that exist and they are essential," Benedict said. "For example, we don't see our reason, but we still have reason. We don't see our intelligence, but we have it ... We don't see the electric current, but we still see it works: We see how this microphone works, the lights.

"We don't see the risen Lord with our eyes, but we know that where Jesus is, men change, become better, become a bit more able to have peace and reconciliation."

Most of the people at the rally were from the Rome area, although others came from elsewhere in Italy and at least one group came from Spain, according to organizers.

Benedict met with the hundreds of thousands of young people who attended World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in August, but Saturday's encounter was the first such gathering in the Vatican since Benedict's April 19 election.

[ELS]

Pope Benedict XVI embraces a boy as he leads a youth festival in St. Peter Square at the Vatican October 15, 2005. Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday welcomed 150,000 people, most of them children, to the first youth festival held at the Vatican since his papacy began. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Pope Benedict XVI looks on as a young boy delivers a message during celebrations of the youth festival in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday Oct. 15, 2005. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

Pope Benedict XVI holds the host's golden goblet [sic] during a youth festival in St. Peter Square at the Vatican October 15, 2005. The pope on Saturday welcomed 150,000 people, most of them children, to the first youth festival held at the Vatican since his papacy began. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

[Kolokotronis]

"Pope Benedict XVI holds the host's golden goblet [sic] during a youth festival in St. Peter Square at the Vatican October 15, 2005."

Goblet, eh? Looks like a Monstrance to me.

[ELS]

Yes, it's a monstrance. What do you expect from the secular news media? Sigh ...

[Salvation]

Too bad they cannot educate themselves.

[ELS]

Doing a little research or homework doesn't seem to be part of their modus operandi any longer. Really, does a monstrance even look like a goblet? Makes one wonder if they even know what "goblet" means.

[NYer]

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he leads a youth festival in St. Peter Square at the Vatican October 15, 2005. Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday welcomed 150,000 people, most of them children, to the first youth festival held at the Vatican since his papacy began.

Just finished watching EWTN's broadcast of this event. There was a beautiful balance in how this service was carried out. It began with great enthusiasm as the children joyfully prepared for the Holy Father's entrance into St. Peter's Square. He then rode through and around the square in order to greet and bless all of them. One child was chosen to deliver a greeting and a hug on behalf of all the children present.

What began as a boisterous event turned to utter silence as the Holy Father prepared them for Eucharistic Adoration. It was amazing to see 150,000 8 to 10 year old children join the pope in silent adoration before the monstrance! 250 Cardinals and Bishops were also present for this service.

At the conclusion, the pope thanked them for joining him and his face was radiant with pride and joy in these youngsters. Benedict XVI has found his niche with youth and taken it down to the very youngest. God bless this man!

On Monday at 5pm Italian time, at the request of those attending the Synod, they will all gather for one hour of Eucharistic Adoration in St. Peter's Basilica, led by the Holy Father. What a beautiful conclusion to the Year of the Eucharist!

[NYer]

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he leads a youth festival in St. Peter Square at the Vatican October 15, 2005. Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday welcomed 150,000 people, most of them children, to the first youth festival held at the Vatican since his papacy began.

Just finished watching EWTN's broadcast of this event. There was a beautiful balance in how this service was carried out. It began with great enthusiasm as the children joyfully prepared for the Holy Father's entrance into St. Peter's Square. He then rode through and around the square in order to greet and bless all of them. One child was chosen to deliver a greeting and a hug on behalf of all the children present.

What began as a boisterous event turned to utter silence as the Holy Father prepared them for Eucharistic Adoration. It was amazing to see 150,000 8 to 10 year old children join the pope in silent adoration before the monstrance! 250 Cardinals and Bishops were also present for this service.

At the conclusion, the pope thanked them for joining him and his face was radiant with pride and joy in these youngsters. Benedict XVI has found his niche with youth and taken it down to the very youngest. God bless this man!

On Monday at 5pm Italian time, at the request of those attending the Synod, they will all gather for one hour of Eucharistic Adoration in St. Peter's Basilica, led by the Holy Father. What a beautiful conclusion to the Year of the Eucharist!

[ELS]

I watched it, too. I loved the way he answered the childrens' questions. The little boy who read a letter at the beginning was so adorable. I hope to find a transcript of the Q & A to post here.

[Lady In Blue]

I saw it this morning and thought it was wonderful! I would like to see it again. I hope EWTN replays it tomorrow.Does anybody know? Thanks.

[Gerish]

"But how? I don't see him," the boy said. Benedict chuckled.

My youngest daughter who will receive her First Communion in May is troubled that she will have to "eat" Jesus. I absolutely marvel at the innocence and faithfulness of a child's heart. Wonderful pics!

[NYer]

I loved the way he answered the childrens' questions

Fluently in Italian and in simple terms that they could comprehend. This is catechesis! I was awestruck by the children's silence. 150,000 of them !

[ELS]

I hope EWTN replays it tomorrow. Does anybody know?

I just checked EWTN's schedule and they will not be re-airing this tomorrow. There was just the show this morning and this evening.

POPE BENEDICT XVI ~ MEETING AND PRAYER WITH FIRST
COMMUNICANTS, ST. PETER'S SQUARE, ROME
(2 hours) LIVE
Saturday October 15, 2005 11:00 AM
Saturday October 15, 2005 8:00 PM

[ELS]

Fluently in Italian

It's no surprise that he is fluent in Italian. It is the lingua franca at the Vatican and he has lived in Rome for 20+ years.

[RobbyS]

He surprised me with his sermon in Germany. For an academic, he manages to express himself simply, more so than John Paul II.

[Gumdrop]

I found this event while surfing the channels, and was so impressed. I misssed the first 15 minutes. The children were so cute, PB XVI was so gentle with them and their questions; and I loved the music. The actual Benediction was awesome too. Altogether a wunderful thing to behold.

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks,ELS. I sure enjoyed it.

[DTwistedSisterS]

Question:

Why does the Priest (or Bishop, etc) use (i don;t know the official term for it) the towel to hold the Monstrance??

I had a terrible Catholic grade school education (if you could call it that), and my Confirmation classes were nothing to write home about.

[AnAmericanMother]

. . . I just joined the church, so I'm up on this sort of thing . . .

It is called a "humeral veil", it's draped around his shoulders and covers his hands as he displays the monstrance to the people. The theological reasons are that his hands are covered out of respect for the Divine Presence, and that the veiling of his hands focusses attention on the Blessed Sacrament rather than the person of the priest.

More than you probably wanted to know about the humeral veil.

[AnAmericanMother]

Are they going to replay it? I would love to see this.

"Except ye become as a little child . . . "