I met him when I was 5 years old. He was quite ill at the time and what was supposed to be a private audience turned into a general one. There was a large crowd at the Vatican that day. My mother and I became separated in the melee. The only thing I remember is two strong arms with brown sleeves, swooping down to lift me up, place me on his shoulders, grab my mother and escort us out of the Vatican. To this day, I am a great admirer or the Franciscans :-)