Deaf choir 'signs' for pope as he blesses handicapped children

Breitbart ^ | April 19, 2008

[NYer]

The New York Archdiocesan Deaf Choir "signed" a song for Pope Benedict XVI Saturday at a seminary outside New York, where the pontiff blessed some 50 children with disabilities and visited students.

The 81-year-old pontiff rose and applauded the choir of 15, accompanied vocally by the Cathedral of Saint Patrick Young Singers, after they had finished their song, "Take Lord, Receive."

"God has blessed you with life and with differing talents and gifts," Benedict said in a short speech to the crowd of around 50 families of children with disabilities.

"Sometimes it is challenging to find a reason for what appears only as a difficulty to be overcome or even pain to be endured," the pope told the gathering.

"God's love ... points to a meaning and purpose for all human life," he said.

Outside in the 40-acre (16-hectare) grounds of St Joseph Seminary, a huge crowd -- in which the average age was probably one-quarter that of the octogenarian pope -- had gathered to greet Benedict.

The pope had travelled to the suburb of Yonkers by motorcade after celebrating mass at New York's St Patrick's Cathedral.

[NYer]

Address to Youth with Disabilities, St. Joseph's Seminary, New York
 

On Saturday 19 April 2008, following a Rite of Blessing, the Holy Father gave the following address to the disabled youth gathered at St. Joseph's Seminary (Dunwoodie), New York.

Your Eminence,
Bishop Walsh,
Dear Friends,

I am very happy to have this opportunity to spend a brief moment with you. I thank Cardinal Egan for his welcome and especially thank your representatives for their kind words and for the gift of the drawing. Know that it is a special joy for me to be with you. Please give my greetings to your parents and family members, and your teachers and caregivers.

God has blessed you with life, and with differing talents and gifts. 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.

Sometimes it is challenging to find a reason for what appears only as a difficulty to be overcome or even pain to be endured. Yet our faith helps us to break open the horizon beyond our own selves in order to see life as God does. God's unconditional love, which bathes every human individual, points to a meaning and purpose for all human life. Through his Cross, Jesus in fact draws us into his saving love (cf. Jn 12:32) and in so doing shows us the way ahead - the way of hope which transfigures us all, so that we too, become bearers of that hope and charity for others.

Dear friends, I encourage you all to pray every day for our world. There are so many intentions and people you can pray for, including those who have yet to come to know Jesus. And please do continue to pray for me. As you know I have just had another birthday. Time passes!

Thank you all again, including the Cathedral of Saint Patrick Young Singers and the members of the Archdiocesan Deaf Choir. As a sign of strength and peace and with great affection in our Lord, I impart to you and your families, teachers and caregivers my Apostolic Blessing.

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[El Sordo]

Cool!

[NYer]

Ping!

[MinorityRepublican]

Ping!

[Gerish]

Thank you for all pings this week with regard to the Holy Father. I am slowly reading each one, they are all messages of hope and courage. What a marvelous shepard. My prayers always that his words will not fall on deaf ears!

[NYer]

You are most welcome! It is humbling to post the full text of the Holy Father's words. We live in a society of 'sound bites', where people only hear what the media has chosen. These threads provide opportunity for all to read everything the pope has said, not what the mainstream media says the pope said.

My prayers always that his words will not fall on deaf ears!

If you watched the coverage of this event, there was one mother clutching her disabled child who was unable to choke back tears when Pope Benedict XVI approached to bless the child. He gave the child a 2nd blessing when he departed.

What truly struck me, and I'm sure others who watched, was the expression on Benedict XVI's face as he watched the Archdiocesan Deaf Choir 'sing' their beautiful hymn. I hope someone (named Pyro7480) will post a photo of that to this thread!

[Biggirl]

Missed seeing the meeting the Pope had with the young people who are handicapped and their families, but tomorrow on the EWTN webpage, when they have the video of both youth gatherings,I will be watching the part of the meeting in the chapel. Had seen the youth gathering on the grounds. It was wonderful.

[Biggirl]

May there be a spiritual revival of both the Church and the USA! God Bless Pope Benedict XVI and a blessed happy aniversary of his election!