(Vatican Radio) On Saturday, hundreds of thousands school children, along with their
teachers and families, filled St. Peter’s Square and Via della Conciliazione to take
part in a festive encounter with Pope Francis.
The meeting was part of a national
campaign organized by the Italian Bishops Conference in support of schools, called
“La Chiesa per la scuola” or The Church for Schools.
The aim of the event is
to give witness to the passion for education in Italy, as well as the challenges that
impact schools in the country.
In his address, Pope Francis told the school
children why he loved school: first, going to school helps us to open our minds and
hearts to reality; secondly, it serves as an important place of encounter during our
formative years; and finally, going to school helps us develop a sense of the true,
the good, and the beautiful.
The Pope concluded by reminding the participants
that going to school ought to teach us how speak in three languages: the language
of the mind, the language of the heart, and the language of the hands.