The children of the medical dispensary “Santa Marta” congratulated the pope on his birthday in advance. Pope Francis was delighted to attend the show they offered him.
The cake they presented to him had a message on it: “We cannot get used to the situation of degradation and misery that surrounds us. A Christian must react.”
Pope Francis responded with these words.
POPE FRANCIS
“I do not know if in Nazareth or in Egypt there was a medical dispensary but surely if Our Lady lived in Rome she would have taken the baby Jesus to this one.”
Instead of taking his seat the pope chose instead to sit on the steps of the stage, just like the others. After also seeing the spontaneity of the little ones, the pope gave a profound reflection on life.
POPE FRANCIS
“It teaches me one thing: that in order to understand the reality of life it is necessary to 'stoop' as we stoop to kiss a child.”
The medical dispensary of Santa Marta was created in 1922. It was founded with the objective of caring for children without resources and was promoted by the then Pope Pius XI. It was entrusted to the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul to manage it.
