Children's Train to arrive in Vatican Saturday to see Pope

Children's Train to arrive in Vatican Saturday to see Pope

(Vatican Radio)  “Brought by waves:,” that’s the slogan of the fourth edition of the Children’s Train, an initiative of the Pontifical Council for Culture.  In collaboration with Italian State Railways, four hundred children from schools in Italy’s southern region of Calabria, will make the long trip north to the Vatican Saturday 28 May to meet Pope Francis. 

The slogan recalls the many migrants who’ve arrived on the shores of Calabria in recent years.  The Pope will receive the children in an audience in the Vatican at noon.

Last year, the train brought sons and daughters of inmates of southern Italian prisons to the Vatican.

Fr. Laurent Mazas, the director of the Council for Culture’s “Courtyard of the Gentiles” which is sponsoring the initiative, says this year, the focus of the journey is on children who are forced to flee their homes, “migrants who are asking to be welcomed , and are welcomed by Italian children.”

In an interview with Vatican Radio’s Fabio Colagrande, he stresses there will be a mix of foreign and Italian kids who’ve become friends at school, through sports and music – and for this, Fr. Mazas says, they will also be coming with an orchestra.

He notes that Pope Francis was very enthusiastic about last year’s encounter with the children:  “I believe it’s always a moment of great tenderness!”

In preparation for Saturday’s journey, participating schools have engaged the children in study groups on migrant themes and have composed the songs “Brought by waves” and “We are all brothers.”

The children will arrive by train in the Vatican Station within the Vatican gardens and will be welcomed by the children’s choir “Quattro canti” from Palermo and by youths of the association  “Sports without Borders,” an organization which gives sports opportunities to children from disadvantaged families.  The children will return to Calabria later Saturday.

The Principal of the Amerigo Vespucci school in Vibo Marina, Maria Salvia, says she and the children are very grateful and happy for the opportunity to visit the Vatican, “this place which welcomes all the other religions.” 

She points out that among the children on Saturday’s journey “will be many children from different religions…They are coming because this Pope is a truly welcoming Pope, so they feel at home.”

Many boats carrying hundreds of migrants have arrived in Vibo Marina, she explains.  Many of the children who’ve stayed are “fully part of the school world.  Integration is real; it’s not just words.”  Faculty try to teach the students that “being together has a very important significance.  It has to be built, and we try to build it together with them.” 

(Tracey McClure)

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