Always work with kids and dogs?

Posted on 30 October 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Okay, the filmettes of the little kid who invaded Pope Francis’ space during the big “Family Day” do in Rome are fun.  I am sure the MSM will play them for a couple days and even more people (who may or may not have any intention of changing thing one about their lives) will say something like, “I have a bone to pick with the Catholic Church, but I’m really starting to like this Pope.”  Liberals will continue to gush that “There has never never ehvurrrr been a Pope so fantastic and wonderful or who has ehvurrr smiled at a child!”

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About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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23 Responses to Always work with kids and dogs?

  1. disco says:
    30 October 2013 at 6:15 PM

    I miss Pope Benedict so much.

  2. RobW says:
    30 October 2013 at 7:00 PM

    The “German Shepherd” was nice to children?? I’m making my shocked face :)

  4. Robbie says:
    30 October 2013 at 7:07 PM

    I miss Pope Benedict too. Father Z is right. The media is just gushing over the little boy and Francis. It was a nice moment, but I wasn’t too excited when the child at in the Pope’s chair. I get that tradition dies a little more each day, but that was a bit too much for me. Some things should remain off limits.

  5. Lin says:
    30 October 2013 at 8:58 PM

    “I have a bone to pick with the Catholic Church, but I’m really starting to like this Pope.”  I hear this said at least once a day. I heard it said almost word for word on TV twice this week! It’s like no other Pope ever smiled at a child or kissed a baby!

    I miss Pope Benedict! I remember being broken hearted when JP II died but when Benedict was chosen, the transition was seamless! In my humble opinion, it would be very difficult to surpass his intelligence, humility, and holiness. Pope Francis has a tough act to follow! May GOD help him!

  6. Geoffrey says:
    30 October 2013 at 9:15 PM

    “I miss Pope Benedict! I remember being broken hearted when JP II died but when Benedict was chosen, the transition was seamless!”

    I felt exactly the same way.

  7. Matt R says:
    30 October 2013 at 9:19 PM

    My thought about this is that Francis did what he needed to do by acknowledging the child and keeping him around, and the papal household members did their job by trying to get him away.
    I miss BXVI, and of course the media pretends Francis is the first pope to do it. Love them both.

  8. Bedens says:
    30 October 2013 at 9:31 PM

    I guess I’m getting older and more crotchety, and I know what Jesus said about letting the little children come unto him, but my first reaction when I saw the video of the child with Pope Francis was “Where are his parents?” It reminded me of the commercial where two parents are at a concert sitting in their seats when all of a sudden they can’t find their child. Each parent thought he was with the other one, isn’t that funny? And then lo and behold, they look and their child is on the stage with the performer. I just don’t think it’s cute.

  9. Maria says:
    30 October 2013 at 9:40 PM

    From the pictures and videos I saw, children actually know the difference.

    Children approaching PBXVI, have this looked of recognizing his holiness and they respected the person of PBXVI. Look at the way they looked at Pope Benedict.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151714196604499&set=a.10151714194444499.1073742046.356104454498&type=1&theater

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151704560099499&set=a.10150154727389499.286112.356104454498&type=1&theater

    Children approaching PF, playful.

    Children are mostly playful but the child kneeling towards PBXVI is something to behold.

  11. StJude says:
    30 October 2013 at 11:46 PM

    awww.. I remember that! I love Pope Benedict.

  12. Gratias says:
    31 October 2013 at 2:09 AM

    Dear Pope Benedict XVI:

    Many thanks for eight years of Catholic governance. Your writings will live forever.

    Vielen Dank Heilege Vater Emeritus. Viva.

    Gratias

  13. HighMass says:
    31 October 2013 at 11:27 AM

    Dear Pope Benedict XVI,

    How much we Love and Miss You…..You are a very Holy Man. Thank You for all you do for the Church.

    GOD BLESS YOU.

  14. Joe of St Thérèse says:
    31 October 2013 at 1:56 PM

    Dear Pope Benedict XVI, We miss you, we love you and we pray for you…God bless you!

  15. ghp95134 says:
    31 October 2013 at 3:28 PM

    @RobW … “shocked face”

    I don’t know if they’ll properly appear after posting — Japanese keyboard — but here are some shocked/surprised emoticons (Japanese “emoji”) for you:
    (´???`)?
    (??0?)?~
    ( ?•??•? ?)
    (????)?
    (((( ;°?°))))
    ( ??? )
    .·´¯`(>?<)´¯`·.

    –Guy

  16. ghp95134 says:
    31 October 2013 at 3:29 PM

    Nope …. that didn’t work!

    ( O O )
    ) 0 (

    –Guy

  17. ghp95134 says:
    31 October 2013 at 3:31 PM

    Japanese emoticons that work for normal emails:
    http://japaneseemoticons.net/all-japanese-emoticons/

    –Guy

  18. tzabiega says:
    31 October 2013 at 11:18 PM

    I agree with the fact the parents should be more responsible in regards to their children, just like those parents who allow their children to go up to the front of the church during Mass, but Pope Francis’ response was quite appropriate. For those who are worried about the kid sitting in the Pope’s chair, they may want to know the anecdote that Pope Paul VI told his secretary Msgr. John Magee: when he was a little boy, his father (a prominent Catholic journalist) attended a private audience with Pope Pius X. Pius X sat the boy on his chair and put his papal zucchetto on him. Of course, the young Montini had this privilege because of his father’s prominent status, but its nice when simple children of no special background are given special attention by the Pope. Some of the criticisms of the Pope from the ultramontane are starting to sound like the criticisms of the Pharisees against Jesus. I was and still am opposed to the resignation of Pope Benedict, who was a great Pope, but had no right to do so since there was no grave reason for that decision. But I do love Pope Francis, and his practical decisions (like the great choices for Archbishops of Dubuque, Newark, and Hartford) are a better indicator of his greatness than his misinterpreted off-the-cuff statements. So cheer up everyone!

  19. ejcmartin says:
    1 November 2013 at 8:44 AM

    Yesterday I read the short article about Francis and the boy on the CBC website. Reviewing the comments made your thoughts father were spot on as most were along the lines of “I have a bone to pick with the Catholic Church, but I’m really starting to like this Pope.” Although my favourite was from someone who claimed they love to go to Mass regularly, then talked about karma and how can the Church believe in Original Sin when a little kid is so innocent.

  20. majuscule says:
    1 November 2013 at 12:45 PM

    There is a longer video of the little boy and Pope Francis.

    http://youtu.be/dIoQ_2Y1k_Y

    I would like to know more about this little boy–who he is and where he came from. The expressions (smiles) on the faces of both Pope Francis and Archbishop Gänswein are illuminating.

    Look at around 1:50 on the video and you will see the boy kissing the popes’s pectoral cross. At first I wondered how he knew to do that but I think Pope Francis may have suggest it to him.

  21. Fiat Domine says:
    1 November 2013 at 1:36 PM

    There is a time and place and order for everything. It is not evil to teach a child patience, obedience and order. This is a major problem in our world today; children are not taught to control themselves; they are left to themselves and God help them as adults. I am sure that while Jesus was speaking on the mount to all who were there to listen to him, that children were not running up to him interrupting him and giving him glaring looks with twisted heads with no respect or clue for order.

    John Paul ll was very affectionate towards children. We saw him give many children kisses.

    That boy’s parents are at fault for letting their child DEMAND attention, not listening to authority trying to direct him away, and for being able to do exactly what his will wanted to do without care of anyone else. What if ALL the children went up there to be with the Pope? What about the children that would have loved to be with him, but were obedient and respectful of order and discipline? Does disorder get rewarded? Usually.

  22. Katylamb says:
    3 November 2013 at 9:43 PM

    Bedens: Yes, you must be getting older and more crotchety. So sad. I advise you to try harder. My husband and I lost our two year old at the zoo in the same way. Each thought he was with the other. We were in a large family group so it was somehow easier to do. Come to think of it, I believe the same type of thing happened to the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph once. :)
    To everyone: Why oh why can’t people love Benedict while still at least attempting to like Francis too? When you make the constant comparisons, how are you different from the press and other silly. shallow people? They compare and disparage Benedict, you compare and disparage Francis. How are you any different?

  23. casey says:
    4 November 2013 at 5:33 PM

    Okay…it was very cute, for a while, but what about the other folks whose once in a lifetime moment with the Pope was spent trying to control the child. what about the man who was being pushed away by the boy from the Pope as he tried to greet the Holy Father? It was lovely of the Pope to respond with such kindness….but where on earth were the boy’s parents, I have 4 children, I would have been having a heart attack, and I would have been very apologetic to the folks whose moment with the Pope was dominated by my child.

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