Dear Pope Francis, Not Just a Book for Kids

I was excited to check out this Dear Pope Francis by Pope Francis for my grandchildren. My youngest child is 14 so I wasn’t really sure if I would like a Catholic children’s book, but I love Pope Francis so I figured it would be good to have around for my grand kids.

What I found was a great book for myself. I grew up without a father to ask questions to. I would spend a lot of time alone daydreaming about having one and what we would talk about. I am sure that wanting a father so bad was one reason that I didn’t have an issue with priests being called “father” when I became Catholic. I had wanted a father my entire life!

In this book, Pope Francis answers the questions of children. The kids just flat out ask him things with no filter because they are kids and he answers them honestly, clearly and fatherly. For me, it was a great example of what a father should be. I can’t imagine what it’s like for the kids who had their letters answered!

I can’t wait to be able to read the questions and answers to my grandchildren when they are older. What a gift this book is for both children as well the the children in all of us, especially for someone like myself who didn’t have a father to ask questions to. Not only does it teach our children things about the faith and about the Holy Father, but it teaches them that God is a loving Father who loves answering their questions. When I was younger,  I didn’t feel the freedom to ask questions about God. I felt as if asking the wrong question was disrespectful, but I had no idea how on earth I was supposed to just know that answers to things.

My first experience with RCIA (The Rite of Christian Initiation for adults)was not very open to questions. I asked them and I got the look. The one that said that questions were not very welcome. 6 years ago it was through me asking questions and a patient priest answering them, or helping me figure out how to find my own answers, that I questioned myself right into the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis is a great Pope, but first and foremost he is a Pastor who loves the sheep that he is in charge of feeding. In this fabulous book he proves that that is his first priority, by allowing children to open up to him and then he listens to them and answers them. What a gift for a world with so many people missing out on having fathers.