Pope Francis tossed away his prepared remarks this week because, he said, they were boring. Rather than making a speech to the group of children who were at the Vatican for an audience, he let them ask him unrehearsed, unedited, questions.
The result is one of the most charming — and revealing — exchanges I’ve ever seen with any pope. One little girl asked the Holy Father if he wanted to be pope. He said no, he hadn’t wanted to be pope. Another asked him if is was hard to move to Italy and leave his family and friends behind.
He answered all of these questions in his usual open, unself-concious way that he always does.
Pope Francis is the real deal. He’s so in the bag for Jesus that he’s past the constraints of that inhibit most public people. He has the ability to reach right through the trappings of office and power and into our hearts.
The video below offers a look at this wonderful exchange between the Holy Father and the children.
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