Pope Francis celebrated his 77th birthday on Tuesday with three homeless men who came to join him for breakfast after the Pontiff had said Mass. The Pope received a bouquet of sunflowers from the guests as birthday token. One of the men brought his dog, which he held in his arms while talking with the Pope.
Special invitation
Living on the street in a neighborhood outside the Vatican enclave, the homeless men were invited by the Holy See official who was responsible for the giving of alms to the poor of Rome. The official asked the men if they liked to attend the daily Mass, which Pope Francis officiates everyday from the hotel where he resides, and afterward partake of his birthday breakfast. The Vatican identified the homeless men to be from Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.
Aside from the three homeless people, Pope Francis also asked his household staff to eat breakfast with him like they belonged to one family. In his homily during the day’s Mass, Francis mentioned each of the people who celebrated with him on that morning.
Birthday presents from children and Argentine soccer team
On Saturday, children in the Vatican presented Pope Francis with a birthday cake. He blew the candles on the cake and spent some moments with the youngsters. Another birthday present came when a group of San Lorenzo players and team officials paid him a visit and gave him a reproduction of their championship trophy that they won against Buenos Aires’ Velez Sarsfield on Sunday. He also received a jersey with his name “Francisco Campeon” or “Francis Champion” emblazoned on the back. Francis proudly showed the trophy replica before people at the St. Peter’s Basilica steps. He has been a follower and fan of the San Lorenzo football team since childhood.
Unexpected birthday gift
An unexpected birthday gift for the Pope came in the form of awards and recognitions. Last week he has been bestowed the “Person of the Year” award by the Time magazine and on the day of his birthday, he was again named as “Person of the Year” by The Advocate, a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender magazine in the United States. Pope Francis has been making a difference in his governance as highest official of the Catholic Church for his being informal and down-to-earth. By declaring in his homily: “Let the Lord write our history.” Francis made clear to the world that it is God who really has a hand on managing the Church, not the Pope.
Progressive style
Pope Francis continues to gain respect and admiration from all sectors of society because of his progressive style in leading the Church. His advocacy for simplicity, frugality, humility and candor is becoming part of the Catholic Church culture. When he assumed the papal seat in March this year, he advised Church officials to do away with extravagant spending. In view of this, he demanded an explanation from a German bishop about the staggering cost of a marble courtyard that he had constructed at a whooping amount of $3 million.
Reaching out to people
Francis has a way of reaching out to people regardless of their preferences and status in life. He respects the gays and lesbians, saying he is not in any position to judge them. He further demonstrated his humility during the Holy Week by holding the washing of the feet rites in a youth prison. He shows that he is embracing the new age by taking time to be with young people, and even taking “selfie” photos with them at one point. He also adheres to his personal belief that atheists are also good people especially when they do good things for others.
Photo Credit: Pope Francis
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+
LinkedIn
Email