Every child changes a family’s history, says pope in tweet.Through his twitter account (@pontifex), Pope Francis has noted the gift that a child with Down syndrome, and every child, is to his or her family. World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on March 21; the date is a reference to how the syndrome is caused by an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.
The pope’s tweet notes how a new life is connected not just to the woman who carries the child within her, but to all the members of the family – grandparents and siblings, particularly.
Every child who a woman expects in her womb is a gift that changes a family’s history: the life of fathers and mothers, grandparents and of brothers and sisters. That child needs to be welcomed, loved and nurtured. Always! #WorldDownSyndromeDay
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 21, 2021
This year, the Vatican officially recognized the heroic virtues of Jérôme Lejeune (1926-1994). He now will be referred to as Venerable Jérôme Lejeune. He was the Catholic physician and geneticist who was responsible for scientifically explaining Down Syndrome.
Enjoy this slideshow of tender encounters showing the special love Pope Francis has for people with Down syndrome.
