• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Pope Francis poses for a photo with children in the Vatican's Paul VI audience hall July 18, 2023. About 250 children of Vatican employees are attending a summer program July 3-Aug. 4. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope visits summer camp for kids of Vatican employees

July 18, 2023
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Treated to songs, gifts and a paper medallion designating him “hero,” Pope Francis visited children attending a summer camp at the Vatican.

About 250 children of Vatican employees welcomed the pope, who greeted the children and counselors, and posed for pictures July 18. He spoke to the kids, who ranged in age from 5 to 13, and answered their questions, according to a report by Vatican News.

“What message can we bring to our heroes, our parents?” a young boy named Edoardo asked. Pope Francis invited them to show gratitude and always tell their parents, “Thank you,” for all they do to raise them.

Pope Francis visits children in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall July 18, 2023. About 250 children of Vatican employees are attending a summer program July 3-Aug. 4. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

A child named Elena asked the pope who his superheroes are. “Grandparents,” he said, because they possess so much wisdom “and that is why it is important” to talk to them.

Raffaele asked the pope how they can be heroes “in the digital world.” The pope said they should focus on technology’s “usefulness” in such a way that the tools serve the person and not the other way around.

The pope received a color drawing of himself with dozens of the kids’ signatures, two handmade plastic bracelets and a large paper medallion held by a blue ribbon which he promptly pulled over his head. It said “hero” in Italian and pictured St. Peter’s Basilica and a smiling pope saying, “peace.”

Two children gave the pope a backpack and T-shirt from the summer program telling him he could bring these with him on his upcoming trip to Lisbon for World Youth Day.

Other children held up a large colorful poster the kids made showing a large hornet’s nest hanging in a tree surrounded by bees and the words, “You help us to ‘bee’ heroes,” reflecting the theme of this year’s camp dedicated to honeybees and heroes.

The large hall, which normally seats thousands for audiences with the pope, was turned into an indoor playground with bouncy houses and huge inflatable slides, some shaped like ships, including a sinking Titanic.

The summer program, running from July 3 to Aug. 4, is organized by the Salesians and the private associations, Play It and “Tutti in una Festa.” The program offered the children activities such as swimming, tennis, games, crafts and educational initiatives aimed at building friendships and values.

The children sometimes receive other special guests, such as chefs from Rome’s “Gelato Academy” who came and explained how Italian “gelato” is made, Salesian Father Franco Fontana, a chaplain at the Vatican overseeing the program, told Vatican News July 13.

Read More Vatican News

Pope celebrates Apollo 11 anniversary with peek at the heavens, call to astronaut

Pope, Palestinian president discuss humanitarian tragedy in Gaza during phone call

Pope condemns Israel’s attack against church, calls for end to ‘barbarity’

Pope: Summer marks time to balance busyness with rest, prayer, joy with loved ones

A sower of light in the shadows

Filled with hope, Christians know cries of the innocent will be heard, pope says

Copyright © 2023 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Carol Glatz

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith

  • NBC’s Tom Llamas says Catholic education deepened his faith, pushed him to always do his best

  • Archbishop Wenski leads Knights on Bikes to pray rosary at Alligator Alcatraz

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

| Latest Local News |

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

Radio Interview: Youth ministry changing with the times

Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith

Lay associates journey with the Oblate Sisters of Providence

| Latest World News |

Holy See at the UN urges sustainable development as U.S. pulls out of UNESCO

Peace by force is a ‘troubling’ idea, Iran cardinal says

U.S. to withdraw, again, from UNESCO over Palestine and UN development goals

Judge blocks defunding of some, but not all, Planned Parenthood groups

Catholic Church mourns deaths in Bangladesh military plane crash

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Holy See at the UN urges sustainable development as U.S. pulls out of UNESCO
  • Peace by force is a ‘troubling’ idea, Iran cardinal says
  • U.S. to withdraw, again, from UNESCO over Palestine and UN development goals
  • Judge blocks defunding of some, but not all, Planned Parenthood groups
  • Catholic Church mourns deaths in Bangladesh military plane crash
  • Question Corner: Does reception of the Eucharist replace confession?
  • Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon
  • Former Irish bishop’s remains removed from cathedral amid abuse allegations
  • Christ is not absent from Gaza, but crucified in the wounded, patriarchs say after visit

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en