Pope Leo XIV at Surprise Concert Tells Kids "let us do more to proclaim peace, love, and unity in the world" and is Gifted a Tennis Racket!

This afternoon, December 16, Pope Leo XIV attended the Christmas concert for the students of the Paul VI school complex, and at the end, he offered an impromptu greeting to all participants. "God wanted to communicate the gift of love to all of us: this is Christmas," he said, urging us to see God's presence, especially in the littlest ones.A special guest. At the eleventh annual "InCanto" Christmas concert by the students of the Paul VI Pontifical School in Castel Gandolfo, this afternoon, December 16, Leo XIV was among those in attendance. The Pontiff visited the school after leaving Villa Barberini in the same town—where he travels almost every week on Mondays and stays until Tuesdays—and then took part in the musical performance in the gym. The students wished everyone a Merry Christmas and reminded them that true wealth is not measured by what we receive, but by the peace we generate within and around us.

 Excited and smiling, they then began to sing, some of them accompanying their voices with cheerful hand gestures. The strains and lyrics of " Adeste Fideles , " "Joy to the World ," "Noël Noël , " and "Silent Night" in the festively decorated gymnasium: parents, teachers, school staff, the Bishop of Albano, Monsignor Vincenzo Viva, the President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, Monsignor Giordano Piccinotti, and the Pope himself, seated front and center.
"It was wonderful to listen to Christmas carols in Italian, Latin, English, and Spanish," Leo XIV commented off the cuff at the end of the concert. "Hearing these children sing like this in all these languages ​​helps us understand how Christmas awakens a joy, a peace, a truly important invitation in all of our hearts," he added, expressing his delight at the invitation. "It arrived mysteriously at my house," he joked. "And perhaps even more mysterious was the response, when he learned I had decided to come! But I'm truly happy."
The Pontiff then drew inspiration from one of the songs performed—"the words were more or less: 'Angels who bring love'"—to emphasize that the children themselves brought love to everyone "this evening with this beautiful music." He then recalled that St. Augustine, regarding music, "said that 'he who loves sings,' because his heart truly knows what is important." "And God wanted to communicate the gift of love to all of us: this is Christmas," the Pope remarked, "God who wanted to draw close to us, especially to the little ones. May this spirit we are celebrating already this evening, and in the coming days and at Christmas, perhaps throughout the year, be able to feel and experience this love of Christmas." And again, quoting the refrain of another song performed, "At Christmas we can do more," Leo XIV affirmed: "For us too, it is a great invitation: let us do more to proclaim peace, love, and unity in the world."

Finally, the Pope offered his blessing to the children and their families and prayed the Lord's Prayer with them all . "God wants to draw close to each of you, to all your loved ones, to your families," he concluded, urging them to pray and to "open" their "hearts" to "see" God's presence "especially in the littlest ones." Applause and shouts of joy greeted the Pontiff, who received a gift of a tennis racket and a school uniform. "Papa Leo-o-ne, Leo-o-ne, Leo-o-ne," chanted the children, with whom the Pope posed for a souvenir photo before taking his leave and leaving the building.

“Our Pontifical Paul VI School is the only school in the world run by the Holy See; the Pope is the owner of our school building,” explains Simone Desideri, who has been principal of the institute named after Pope Montini for ten years and director of the school choir.

"When we saw that Leo XIV now regularly comes to Castel Gandolfo on Mondays and Tuesdays," the school principal explains, "we decided to write a letter with the seventh-grade students and personally deliver it to Villa Barberini with the eighth-grade students. They welcomed us quickly, and we were able to deliver the letter to the Holy Father. We thought it was nice to be able to deliver this invitation letter to Pope Provost, too, to build upon the bond we've always enjoyed with the Pontiffs over the years."

After a period of expectant silence, the answer finally arrived. "No one expected a 'yes,'" Desideri summarizes, "and yet the Pope accepted our invitation last week. From there, the great machinery began. The concert is now well-oiled because we've been performing here in the gym for eleven years."

When the news arrived, the 419 young choir members were completely surprised. "Until 9:00 this morning, they didn't know anything. Then, at 11:00, they came down for the dress rehearsal, and in front of them was a large, empty seat. At that moment, we finally told them the Pope would be coming." The knowledge of having, in addition to the audience of 700 parents, such an important guest filled the children with energy and a desire to do well: "When they found out, they gave it their all. I think they'll carry that emotion in their hearts for a long time. They were especially happy that from now on, the Pope will be part of us."

The Paolo VI School is already envisioning new projects and invitations to the Pope. "We hope to have Leo XIV visit again for future projects the school will develop, even just for a Mass. The concert was the first step. Now we hope to meet him outside the Papal Palace," the principal concludes, "and at least say hello."

In the 1960s, the complex initially housed schools run separately by the Brothers of the Christian Schools (La Salle) and the Maestre Pie Filippini. In 2002, the Paul VI Pontifical School Foundation was established, unifying the two entities into a single management entity. Today, the Paul VI Pontifical School has an average of 300 students in mixed classes, offering an education based on Catholic principles, with extracurricular activities such as sports, music, foreign languages, civics, and nutrition. It is a point of reference for Castel Gandolfo and the surrounding area (including Albano Laziale), and enrollment has been growing in recent years. In 2021, on the occasion of its 53rd anniversary, it received a relic of Saint Paul VI, which is kept in the internal chapel.
Source: Vatican News Italian