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| Joseph Ratzinger, age 5 |
This is an article about the letter he wrote to baby Jesus (NOT Santa Claus) in 1934...that would make him 7.
"From the Catholic News Agency comes this charming report: a Christmas letter written by seven-year-old Joseph Ratzinger to Baby Jesus is on display this Advent in the Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, where he was born.
The letter, written in 1934, reads:
Dear Baby Jesus, quickly come down to earth. You will bring joy to children. Also bring me joy. I would like a Volks-Schott, green clothing for Mass and a heart of Jesus. I will always be good. Greetings from Joseph Ratzinger
CNA offers a brief explanation for some of the young Ratzinger’s Christmas requests:
The first thing the Pope wanted was a Schott, one of the first prayer books with the missal in German and a parallel text in Latin. At the time there were two editions in the country, one for adults and one for children.
But little Joseph also asked for "green clothing for Mass."
The Pope and his brothers used to play the "game of the priest," and their mother, a seamstress, would help them by making clothes similar to those worn by priests, according to an "Inside the Vatican" interview his brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, gave a few years ago.
He also asked for a heart of Jesus, referring to an image of the Sacred Heart, which his family was very devoted to.
The letter, published online Dec. 18 by the Italian website Korazym.org, was discovered during a renovation of the Holy Father’s former residence in Regensburg. Msgr. Georg Gänswein, the Pope’s personal secretary, said, “The Pope was very glad to find the letter and its contents made him smile.”
Read the full CNA story, which includes details about the Christmas letters of the Holy Father’s brother and sister, here." - From The Catholic World Report
7!!
Our Pope was asking for green "vestments" to play priest at 7! Lets not look over the fact that its green he is asking for, not red for a martyr's feast day, purple for Lent or Advent, or even rose, the boy was capitalizing on the fact that Ordinary Time takes up most of the Liturgical Calendar and just wanted to be able to pretend to celebrate Mass (as a priest) as often as he could.
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| Probably embedded in his memory already |
I dont remember what I was asking for at 7 but it most definitely was not for anything like that. And with my parents being the lyin' type and all, I was still asking Santa for whatever it is my 7 year old self wanted.
Thinking about it, my little sister is 7 Im dying at the thought of her writing something like this. Instead, what is it going to look like under the tree this year? American Girl, vomit. Everywhere. A company dad swears was founded by Lucifer himself.
You know, I'll give her, myself, these kids and every kid out there the benefit of the doubt and say that our hearts are in a similar place as young
Ok maybe not so much, but its now my prayer.
Merry Christmas!!
