Pope Francis’s cousin, a nun, recalls his childhood Marian devotion, helpful temperament
May 06, 2025
» Continue to this story on L'Osservatore Romano (Italian)
CWN Editor's Note: Salesian Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, a missionary in Thailand, spoke with the Vatican newspaper about the childhood of Pope Francis, her second cousin, while in Rome for his funeral. She said that her father, the late Pontiff’s great-uncle, “always said that he would become Pope.”
She recalled the Marian devotion instilled in the family by “Grandma Rosa” and his childhood devotion to Our Lady, Help of Christians, whose feast is May 24. On the 24th of every month, family members visited the basilica dedicated to her, where Sister Ana Rosa and the future Pope were baptized. There, he “climbed the stairs that led to the statue of Mary, Help of Christians, sat there, and prayed alone.”
“Jorge Mario went to live with the Salesians when his mother was ill,” she continued. “He asked Our Lady for everything and told people to pray to Mary, because Mary would act and help. He had Our Lady in his heart.”
She added:
He did not have a fiery character like young people today. He always tried to help others, whoever they were. He was always close to those who were suffering and he identified with the poor, the suffering, the sick.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
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