Hundreds of low-income families take their kids to a children's hospital at the Vatican.
The Pope chose to celebrate his 85th birthday with them.
-'We are always happy to have you with us.'
The children put on a short Christmas play, and the Pope commented on it afterward.
-'We saw some people here putting on a play. Did you see it? One who was cold was there. Another who was hungry was there. And people walked by and looked and didn't look. One was reading the paper, another was going somewhere. Who can explain what this means?'
-'Love for others.'
-'There are always people who need us. But if we do not look them in the face, we will never understand what they need.'
As at any good birthday party, the children gave the Pope a gift.
Although some of the guests couldn't wait for the cake to be sliced.
JMB/BGA/XSA
TR: CT
