The Church is committed to children’s needs

"Tender and strong concern for every child..."
In his 1981 Apostolic Exhortation on "The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World" (Familiaris Consortio), Pope John Paul II teaches: "In the family, which is a community of persons, special attention must be devoted to the children by developing a profound esteem for their personal dignity, and a great respect and generous concern for their rights. This is true for every child, but it becomes all the more urgent the smaller the child is and the more it is in need of everything when it is sick, suffering, or handicapped. By fostering and exercising a tender and strong concern for every child that comes into this world, the Church fulfills a fundamental mission: for she is called upon to reveal and put forward anew in history the example and commandment of Christ the Lord, who placed the child at the heart of the Kingdom of God: 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven'" (no. 26).
The Church is ever conscious of the significance of children in the life of the family. From the moment of Baptism, the Church strives to assist parents in every way in their role as teachers and guardians of the children entrusted to them. The Church particularly takes to heart those families of children with special needs, as well as those children who, due to various circumstances, are without parents and are entrusted to the care of the Church.
Previously, I informed you about my visit to Saint Edmond's Home for Children when I dedicated the new Multi-Sensory Garden to enhance the care and education of our severely disabled children. I was deeply moved by the love and care which these children daily receive in an atmosphere of joyful service. Saint Edmond's Home for Children is an outstanding example of the manner in which the Church responds to the needs of children and families.
Another example is Saint Vincent's Home for Children in the Tacony section of Philadelphia, a residence for children whose parents have died or whose parents are unable to care for their children. Recently, I made a pastoral visit to Saint Vincent's Home, which was for me a tremendous experience. I met the residents of the facility, as well as a number of former residents who returned to join in this special occasion.

A chorus of gratitude
Like Saint Edmond's Home, Saint Vincent's Home is a monument to the commitment which the Archdiocese of Philadelphia fervently embraces in caring for children in need. This facility is a home in which children and youth are safely educated in an environment of love and Catholic values.
During my pastoral visit, I was edified by the many former residents who came to offer encouragement to the young people, including young mothers with children, who currently reside in Saint Vincent's Home. These former residents resounded a chorus of gratitude for all that Saint Vincent's Home did for them. The education and formation offered them through the years helped them to grow and develop into outstanding citizens and fine Catholic adults. With grateful hearts, they praised the efforts of various priests and sisters, as well as lay persons, who provided inspiration and guidance in significant developmental years. With that deep sense of appreciation, these former residents have come forward to show their solidarity with the current residents, encouraging them by their testimony. The enthusiastic presence of the residents as well as of civic officials, community leaders and prominent former residents provided a worthy and fitting tribute to all that has been accomplished at Saint Vincent's Home. The joyful atmosphere also provides a hopeful and promising future in all that Saint Vincent's Home will do to address the human needs and aspirations of the children who are in residence.

Fulfilling the ideal of Christ
The comments offered by the former residents reflect the fruit of years of dedicated service provided by faithful priests, religious and laity who were committed to fulfilling the ideal of Christ, placing children at the heart of the kingdom of God. Generations of generous service cannot be obliterated by the tragic incidents of sexual abuse of minors. Each transgression against the ideal of Christ and the mission of the Church is inexcusable and intolerable. However, far more numerous are the incidents in which the Church protected children in need and formed them into the men and women who are the very fabric of society. We are deeply grateful to so many individuals and institutions of our local Church and are very appreciative of the sustained efforts of our Secretariat for Catholic Education, our Board of Education and our Secretariat for Catholic Human Services. BLOCS (Business Leaders Organized for Catholic Schools) and the Connelly Foundation have also been of extraordinary assistance in caring for the educational needs of children and deserve profound thanks, together with all our teachers, principals and other educators.
The Church fulfills her mission to children and youth in many ways. Our parish elementary schools and Catholic high schools have formed and guided generations of children who now are committed to providing Catholic Education for their own children. In addition, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia offers outstanding Special Education schools for children with physical or mental disabilities. Our vocational schools, as well as Saint Gabriel System, provide for youth a future which is grounded in gospel teaching and Catholic values. All of these are fitting examples of the commitment of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and, indeed, the entire Church to addressing the many needs of children and youth as Christ has instructed.
Mindful of the awesome responsibility involved in education and formation of each child, but especially of youth with various needs, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sees in each child the potential for success, faithful citizenship and sanctity. The philosophy in our outreach and care for each child can be understood in the words of our Holy Father, spoken on a mission trip in 1992: "How can the young person. . . today live his or her faith? First of all, by being aware that there is someone who loves you precisely because you seek to know him. This person is Christ. . . One could say that youth is the time for discovering talents. I hope that you will do everything to discover your talents. They will lead you to respond to God's plan for each of you and will give you the joy of cooperating in his vast, loving design for the human race" (Dakar, Senegal; February 21, 1992).