Pope Culture
QUESTIONS
KIDS ASK
THE POPE
by Stephanie L. Jesena
Q: “DID YOU WANT TO BE A POPE?”
A: “Do you know what it means when a person does not really
love himself? A person who wants, who has the wish to be
Pope does not love himself. God does not bless him. No, I
did not want to be Pope. Is that okay?”
—During a meeting with the students of the
Jesuit schools of Italy and AlbaniaQ: “WHEN YOU WERE
LITTLE, WHAT DID YOU
WANT TO BE?”
A: “I will tell you,
but don’t laugh.
It’s not a joke, I’m
telling the truth.
I wanted to
become a butcher.
Really! Because when I
went to the market with my grandmother, I saw
the butcher cut the pieces of meat: ‘How well
this man does his job!’ And I liked it. ‘When I
grow up, I want to be a butcher.’”
—At a meeting with the children of the parish
of Santa Maria Josefa del Cuore di GesùQ: “... WHEN YOU WERE IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOU
HAD FRIENDS, DIDN’T YOU?
AND SINCE TODAY YOU ARE
POPE, DO YOU STILL SEE
THESE FRIENDS?”
A: “... My friends are a 14-
hour flight away, they are far
away. But I want to tell you
something: three of them came
here to see me and greet me,
and I see them and they write
to me, and I love them very
much. It is impossible to
live without friends. This
is important, it is important.”
—At a meeting with the students
of the Jesuit schools of
Italy and AlbaniaQ: “WHAT LOVE DO
YOU FEEL FOR JESUS?”
A: “I don’t know if I love
Jesus, I’m not sure of that,
but I’m absolutely sure
of His love for me.”
—From Dear Pope Francis: The Pope
Answers Letters from Children
Around the World by Pope FrancisQ: “FATHER, WHAT
DID GOD DO BEFORE HE CREATED
THE WORLD?”
A: “Before He created
the world, God loved,
because God is love
.”
—From Dear Pope Francis:
The Pope Answers Letters from
Children Around the World
by Pope FrancisLeave it to the little
ones to ask what’s
on our minds!
W
hen children ask
questions, they
can range from the
mundane to the outrageous, and,
admittedly, even include things
grown-ups would love to know
the answers to. (Like, what did
God do before He created the
world?!) Before wondering if
He twiddled His mighty thumbs,
we get the answer straight from
God’s earthly representative,
Pope Francis! Here are a few
other questions that the little
ones bravely asked for us.
You may even be surprised by
some of Lolo Kiko’s answers!
PHOTO FROM VATICAN MEDIA.Inquisitive Minds Oh, to be curious and fearless like
a child once more! Kids are the only ones who have the
courage to ask the Santo Papa questions that we adults
would be too shy—or embarrassed—to ask.