Pope Francis meets sick children

Vatican City, 01 June 2013: Pope Francis met a group of 22 children on Friday evening in the Chapel of St. Marta. The children have been grievously ill with cancer, and had come from the Department of Pediatric Oncology of the Hospital ‘Agostino Gemelli’ in Rome.
The children were accompanied by their parents and representatives of the staff and volunteers of the Gemini UNITALSI who follow them and accompany them in pilgrimages to Lourdes or Loreto.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of great simplicity, prayer, joy and emotion. Among the also three sisters, all three sick with their parents. On the occasion of a pilgrimage to Lourdes, the children in the group had sent to the Pope their drawings of the cave.
After the initial greetings, Michelle Nugnes, a little girl said: "Dear Papa Francesco, I'm really happy to be here at home with friends from the Gemini, physicians, volunteers, and with priests who accompany us in Lourdes with the UNITALSI. It 'really nice to see you in person and not in Television! We prayed for you in Lourdes, and we have designed the Grotto of Our Lady, as our gift. We promise that we will pray again and ask you to pray for all the sick children of Gemini and the world. Bless all the moms and dads, because they can always have a smile like yours."

The Pope then talked with the little ones in his characteristic simple style. "What does Jesus do when he finds a crying baby, asked Pope Francis, adding Jesus stops. Why? Because children are the ones that Jesus loves most! Jesus is close to all of us, today, to all of you who have come here. Really! Jesus is here with us! And the children affirming with their resounding ‘yes’.

The children gave the Pope small gifts and after a Hail Mary recited together, the Pope gave his blessing, which - he said - is "like an embrace of God". Then he asked the children to pray for him. Finally, as usual, Pope Francis greeted with great affection all those present individually, each child with its parents.
Source: VR Sedoc