Pope Francis celebrates mass with 4 homeless men on his 77th birthday

Vatican News Agency ^ | December 17, 2013

[NYer]

Pope Francis turned 77 on Tuesday and celebrated Mass in the Santa Marta guesthouse with 4 homeless men, his closest collaborators and staff from the guesthouse, all of whom afterwards greeted him with a birthday song.

Listen to this report by Susy Hodges:

It was Pope Francis’s 77^th birthday on Tuesday and those present at his morning Mass included Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, together with staff from the Santa Marta guesthouse. The congregation also included the Almoner Monsignor Konrad Krajewski who brought with him 4 homeless men who live in the streets around the Vatican. After the mass, all those present wished the Pope a happy birthday and sang greetings to him before joining him for breakfast in the Vatican guesthouse.

Today’s reading was centered on the genealogy of Jesus and the Pope used this in his homily to reflect on God’s enduring presence in our lives throughout history. He said “God wished to live out his life alongside us” and “took his surname from each of us.”

“God,” the Pope continued, “has always walked alongside his people,” beginning with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He did not want to come to redeem us without coming to live among us and share our lives. The Pope said this long list of God’s people included “saints and sinners.” The latter included “high level sinners who committed serious sins and who didn’t listen” to God’s plans for them.

Pope Francis said in addition to accompanying us in our lives our God follows us and in this way, he displays His humility, His patience and His love for us. He concluded his homily with “a Christmas wish” for all of us “to allow God to write our lives for us.”

[NYer]

Happy Birthday, your Holiness, ping!

[cloudmountain]

Ditto to His Eminence!

[DannyTN]

Actions speak louder than words. Well done.

[trisham]

A very Happy Birthday to Pope Francis!

[trisham]

[Paladin2]

The Pope is 77?

The Church should find some 50 yr old next time.

[SevenofNine]

OH that so sweet

Happy Birthday Holy Father

[Biggirl]

Happy Birthday Pope Francis!

[Salvation]

The face of Christ.

Think of St. Martin of Tours giving half his cloak to a beggar, and then Christ came to him in a dream wearing the half cloak.

Picture the face of Christ in everyone.

[Salvation]

This is young for a Pope.

[NYer]

The Church should find some 50 yr old next time.

Ahhhh .. the notion that youth will provide a longer papacy. Our RC Bishop here in Albany NY just retired at age 75. It was while still working on the streets of the South End (of Albany) that Hubbard was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. On March 27, 1977, at age 38, Hubbard became the youngest bishop in the country. Hubbard was an ultra progressive, called to "street" ministry. He floundered as bishop. His legacy is is a pile of lawsuits against abusive priests he appointed along with the closing of dozens of parishes and schools.

Rare is the Bishop of Rome appointed at a young age, like JPII. There is much to be said about old age and wisdom.

[murron]

And what happened after the birthday celebration? Were they turned out on the street again? I would hope the Pope would also try to find some way to house these men.

[NYer]

I would hope the Pope would also try to find some way to house these men.

What if they refused? What should he do?

[bonfire]

No room at the Vatican Inn?

[kjam22]

lol

[kjam22]

I would hope the Pope would also try to find some way to house these men.

What if they refused? What should he do?

Offer them the head coaching job at Texas...

[plain talk]

I think this is awesome.

[golux]

Reason No. 45,876 if I were a Christian, I would only be Catholic.

[murron]

Then there’s nothing he can do. But the article doesn’t mention that he offered and they refused. I would think that if he made the offer to stay with the Pope, at least one of them would take him up on his offer.