Disabled Children are Blessed

Pontiff tells disabled children God blessed them with life

by Mark Mueller/ The Star-Ledger

Saturday April 19, 2008, 7:23 PM

The emotional high point of day five of Pope Benedict XVI's U.S. visit came late in the afternoon in a small seminary chapel where the pontiff offered a blessing for three dozen profoundly disabled children.

The chapel at St. Joseph's seminary in Yonkers, NY, echoed with the moans and muddled calls of the children when the pope entered. He made his way slowly to the altar, stopping to touch each child's cheek or head.

Parents snapped photos of the encounters. One mother began to cry as the pope lay his hands on her child.

"God has blessed you with life, and with differing talents and gifts," the pope said. "Through these you are able to serve him and society in various ways. While some people's contributions seem great and others' more modest, the witness value of our efforts is always a sign of hope for everyone."

A young girl approached the pope as he stood on the altar and thanked him for taking the time to visit.

"Your presence inspires us to be stronger Christians and love Jesus," she said.

Benedict visited the disabled children before his appearance at an outdoor rally at St. Joseph's for more than 32,000 Catholic youths from around the country.

Reading

I love to read. When I was a girl I used to spend hours in the town book stores and books were taken away from me as punishment. I got a library card in this town last summer as books are expensive. I picked a few books at random the other day and I have to say I was pleased with my selections. I like mysteries. Michael Connelly is one of my absolute favorites. Not crazy about corny romances but as long as there is a plot I don't mind them within the story. I imagine certain things when I read so it's awfully hard when they make movies out of books I've read. The Woman's Murder Club used to be a series I never missed, but when I read the latest one all I could picture was Angie Harmon and it made it difficult to read.

I just read a wonderful book. Sort of along the lines of Jodi Picoult. Laura Moriarty "The Rest of Her Life". I recommend it for any mother.

Intro...

I have been in the mood to type the past week. Maybe because my fingers are rested finally after all the tax returns I have been typing in? I took a lot of time off at the end of March and we didn't get busy again until Sat. so I only prepared a few on Mon and Tues.

I am going to try to use this to keep family and friends updated on the kids and what is going on here in NJ. I have a large family and they live all over so maybe this will help me since being on the phone or emailing so many people is not so easy.