Three Chilean children — Matilda, Jesus, and Paulina –, winners of the First National Audio-Visual Competition “Together with the Pope, Let Us Transform the World,” greeted the Holy Father personally during the Wednesday General Audience.
At the end of the Audience, held in Paul VI Hall on September 11, the Pontiff blessed the youngsters, who were accompanied by Enrique Astudillo, a journalist in the Archbishopric of Santiago and Coordinator of the Competition, and by the camera operator, Sebastian Fuenzalida.
Matilda Gonzalez, 10 (Santiago de Chile); Jesus Fernandez, 12 (Santiago de Chile) and Paulina Contreras 16 (Punta Arenas), are visiting Rome from December 9-13, to meet the Pope, and to see the Vatican and its surroundings. All their expenses are covered.
The children talked with the Pope for a few seconds and asked him to bless some personal and family items they had with them. A smiling and affectionate Pope Francis blessed them and asked them to pray for him.
The Competition “Together with the Pope”
The Competition is an initiative of the Apostolic Nunciature, the Episcopal Conference of Chile and the Archdiocese of Santiago.
It consists of a one-minute mobile phone video recording of topics such as faith, solidarity, fraternity, ecology, and the family.
133 videos arrived at platform www.juntosconelpapa.cl form different parts of Chile. The three children mentioned were the winners.
The purpose of the Competition is to make Chilean young people know the Holy Father’s initiatives throughout the world thanks to Saint Peter’s Pence.
