At 12:30pm today, in the atrium of the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with 500 children who are participating in the pastoral initiative known as The Children's Train, promoted by the Pontifical Council for Culture as part of the Courtyard of the Gentiles for children.
Bravo to all of you in the orchestra, and bravo to all of you who were singing! You were very good! Thank you! (applause)
Some of you shared with me some gifts. One of them was some earth from the catacombs. Was it you who gave it to me? You?
(child) Yes, it was me!
You, it was you. And the other gift, who gave me another gift, it's a plant. Who brought me a plant? ... a plant. You told me: This is the plant of light ... what did that mean? The plant of light to make a world ... I can't hear you ...
(children) ... to make a better world!
Better! Who among you has earth from the catacombs ...
(boy) ... from the Catacomb of Saint Gennaro!
Saint Gennaro! That's the most important one, no?
(children) ... Yes!
Because it is in Naples, right? (laughter) You Neapolitans are very smart! But tell me: those catacombs are they on the beach, in the light of the sun?
(children) ... No!
No. Where are they, the catacombs?
(children) ... Underground.
Underground. And in the catacombs, is there light there?
(children) ... No!
What do we find there?
(children) ... Darkness.
Darkness. But, you brought me earth from darkness ... but this earth from darkness, what does it mean? What does this earth from darkness mean? Who knows? Who can tell me? Why did you bring me earth from darkness? Loud ... louder, I can't hear ...
(children) ... To make it become light.
To make it become light. Darkness is for the light: when it is night, and all is dark. We must wait for the first light of the morning, when the light first appears. What's more important - this is a question - darkness or light?
(children) ... Light!
Light! And when we are in darkness, what must we do? Where should we go? ...
(children) ... to the light.
... to the light, in search of ...
(children) ... the light.
The light. Within ourselves, always. Because light gives us joy, it gives us hope. And is it possible for all of us to find the light?
(girl) ... Yes!
There, you did very well! You don't have any doubt! Tell them again: is it possible?
(girl) ... Yes!
All together now: is it possible for all of us?
(children) ... Yes!
Yes! Because in the light there are good things, and in the light we can do what you told me when you gave me the plant: its fruit helps us to make a world ...?
(children) ... A better world?
Better. And can we make a better world?
(children) ... Yes!
Better than this world?
(children) ... Yes!
Yes. Can it be better than the world we live in?
(children) ... Yes!
Yes. And how can we make a better world? With hatred, can we make it better with hatred?
(children) ... No!
Good, say it, say it loudly!
(child) ... With love!
With love. With love. All together, like brothers, fighting beside one another for love. And for this to happen, I'll tell you one thing: when the apostle John, who was a good friend of Jesus - a really good friend - when he wanted to explain who God is, do you know what he said? God is love. That's beautiful. Who is God?
(children) ... God is love!
Louder!
(children) ... God is love!
God is love. And we are going toward the light in search of the love of God. But the love of God, is it inside us, even in moments of darkness? Is the love of God there too, hidden? Yes, always! The love of God never runs out, never. It is always with us. We can trust in this love, right?
(children) ... Yes.
Thank you for your visit. I am happy that we had a chance to meet, that we could meet here, all together. I am so happy.
(children) ... We are happy too!
You are happy too?
(children) ... We are happy too!
Is there anyone of you who is not happy?
(children) ... No!
Ah, good. Good, good ...
(children) ... We are all happy ... We love you.
Thank you very much! And now, I will pray to the Lord for you, that he will make you children, boys, girls, men, women who spread his love. When we love one another with the love of God, everything is better. And now, I want to give you the blessing. Every one of you, think about the people you love, so that they too can be blessed.
(He blesses the children)
Good ... Do you know another song?
(children) ... Yes!
Won't you sing me another song? ...
Conversation of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
with the children
Bravo to all of you in the orchestra, and bravo to all of you who were singing! You were very good! Thank you! (applause)
Some of you shared with me some gifts. One of them was some earth from the catacombs. Was it you who gave it to me? You?
(child) Yes, it was me!
You, it was you. And the other gift, who gave me another gift, it's a plant. Who brought me a plant? ... a plant. You told me: This is the plant of light ... what did that mean? The plant of light to make a world ... I can't hear you ...
(children) ... to make a better world!
Better! Who among you has earth from the catacombs ...
(boy) ... from the Catacomb of Saint Gennaro!
Saint Gennaro! That's the most important one, no?
(children) ... Yes!
Because it is in Naples, right? (laughter) You Neapolitans are very smart! But tell me: those catacombs are they on the beach, in the light of the sun?
(children) ... No!
No. Where are they, the catacombs?
(children) ... Underground.
Underground. And in the catacombs, is there light there?
(children) ... No!
What do we find there?
(children) ... Darkness.
Darkness. But, you brought me earth from darkness ... but this earth from darkness, what does it mean? What does this earth from darkness mean? Who knows? Who can tell me? Why did you bring me earth from darkness? Loud ... louder, I can't hear ...
(children) ... To make it become light.
To make it become light. Darkness is for the light: when it is night, and all is dark. We must wait for the first light of the morning, when the light first appears. What's more important - this is a question - darkness or light?
(children) ... Light!
Light! And when we are in darkness, what must we do? Where should we go? ...
(children) ... to the light.
... to the light, in search of ...
(children) ... the light.
The light. Within ourselves, always. Because light gives us joy, it gives us hope. And is it possible for all of us to find the light?
(girl) ... Yes!
There, you did very well! You don't have any doubt! Tell them again: is it possible?
(girl) ... Yes!
All together now: is it possible for all of us?
(children) ... Yes!
Yes! Because in the light there are good things, and in the light we can do what you told me when you gave me the plant: its fruit helps us to make a world ...?
(children) ... A better world?
Better. And can we make a better world?
(children) ... Yes!
Better than this world?
(children) ... Yes!
Yes. Can it be better than the world we live in?
(children) ... Yes!
Yes. And how can we make a better world? With hatred, can we make it better with hatred?
(children) ... No!
Good, say it, say it loudly!
(child) ... With love!
With love. With love. All together, like brothers, fighting beside one another for love. And for this to happen, I'll tell you one thing: when the apostle John, who was a good friend of Jesus - a really good friend - when he wanted to explain who God is, do you know what he said? God is love. That's beautiful. Who is God?
(children) ... God is love!
Louder!
(children) ... God is love!
God is love. And we are going toward the light in search of the love of God. But the love of God, is it inside us, even in moments of darkness? Is the love of God there too, hidden? Yes, always! The love of God never runs out, never. It is always with us. We can trust in this love, right?
(children) ... Yes.
Thank you for your visit. I am happy that we had a chance to meet, that we could meet here, all together. I am so happy.
(children) ... We are happy too!
You are happy too?
(children) ... We are happy too!
Is there anyone of you who is not happy?
(children) ... No!
Ah, good. Good, good ...
(children) ... We are all happy ... We love you.
Thank you very much! And now, I will pray to the Lord for you, that he will make you children, boys, girls, men, women who spread his love. When we love one another with the love of God, everything is better. And now, I want to give you the blessing. Every one of you, think about the people you love, so that they too can be blessed.
(He blesses the children)
Good ... Do you know another song?
(children) ... Yes!
Won't you sing me another song? ...
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