Pope meets U.S. Catholic school students at papal nunciature

Published: 2008-04-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- An excited mixture of clapping, cheering, screaming and singing only became louder as Pope Benedict XVI walked toward about 130 students who waited in front of the Vatican Embassy to wish the pope a happy 81st birthday April 16. The students, from Washington's Annunciation Catholic School, sang "Happy Birthday" to him in German and English and held up a banner with a jumbo-size painting of the pope dressed in a green cassock and white miter. Along the sides and bottom of the painting students had written, "Annunciation Catholic School wishes you a very happy birthday!" Pope Benedict shook the hands of several students and congratulated the school's music teacher on the students' singing performance. He said it was "wonderful. In German and in English." The students had waited eagerly inside a fenced-off area for more than an hour to get their big chance to sing to the pope. For James Henkels, a student from St. Joseph's School in Vancouver, Wash., meeting the pope was doubly exciting because he and the pope share the same birthday. James said this is a birthday he will never forget -- he turned 11 and shook the pope's hand.

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