Pope Francis asked thousands of Italian children preparing for confirmation to be witnesses of God’s love. “Go to Jesus, meet him, and then tell everyone how good it is to be with Jesus, because he loves us and is always waiting for us,” the pope told 4,000 young people from the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto and some 3,000 catechists, parents and family members who accompanied them.
Meeting the boisterous group on 27th January in the Vatican audience hall, the pope began by asking for a show of hands of how many of the children knew the date of their baptism. Not many of the 11- to 13-year-olds raised their hands, so the pope told them to ask their parents when they got home.
“The date of baptism must be celebrated every year like a second birthday,” he told them. “Have a cake with candles, too! An extra cake-not bad!”
With confirmation, he said, the Holy Spirit and the church will confirm them in their faith and help them grow stronger. But, he added, confirmation also involves a personal commitment to be “protagonists” and not just “spectators” of Christian life.
Picture: A couple of children rush to hug Pope Francis during a meeting with more than 7,000 people-including 4,000 youngsters preparing for confirmation-from the Italian Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, 27th January 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)