“Even in dark moments, we have to thank the Lord, because he gives us the patience to tolerate difficulties. Let’s say it together: Thank you, Lord, for giving us the strength to tolerate pain,” the pontiff said. The children also asked him why there was death and loneliness.
“We must always thank him, at all times. I give you some advice,” Pope Francis said. “Before going to sleep, think: ‘What can I thank the Lord for today?’ Give thanks,” he encouraged the children.
At the end of the meeting, the children together with the Holy Father recited a “Prayer of Thanksgiving” composed for the occasion, which will serve as a reminder of an extraordinary moment in their lives.
Before leaving, Pope Francis, greeting and joking with them, gave each of the children a chocolate egg.
To the priests and the 20 catechists present he gave the first six volumes published in the series “Notes on Prayer.”
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What is the School of Prayer?
This is the pontiff’s first meeting for the so-called “School of Prayer,” an initiative promoted by the Vatican as part of this Year of Prayer in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025.
As part of the project, Pope Francis will hold different meetings “with some different categories of people to pray together, including some forms of prayer.”
As Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, explained to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, these prayer meetings “will depend on the commitments of Pope Francis and will possibly include people and families from the Diocese of Rome.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.