The new Saint Francis and Saint Clare Nursery School is now open inside the Vatican
The Pope’s concern for families
A nursery school born from “Pope Francis’ concern for the families of Vatican employees, so that they can have an adequate structure to which they can entrust their little ones”. The “San Francesco e Santa Chiara” nursery school was blessed by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President Emeritus of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, during its inauguration as the first ever to open within the Vatican Walls. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Monday afternoon, April 14, at its location on Via San Luca.
Having become operational on April 1, the facility currently hosts thirteen children, including 5 boys and 8 girls, who are cared for by 3 teachers and 2 directors of the “La mia casetta” company. At the moment, the nursery school is open from Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 6:30pm, functions in two languages: Italian and English.
Among others present were Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate, who greeted those present and encouraged the initiative, Archbishop Emilio Nappa and Attorney Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, General Secretaries of the Governorate, the Directors and Deputy Directors of the various departments and Rev. Franco Fontana, Coordinator of the Chaplains of the Governorate. Also present were Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti, President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Monsignor Roberto Campisi, Assessor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, President of the Office of Labor of the Apostolic See, Ms. Teresa Morris Kettelkamp, Adjunct Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and Attorney Maria Azzurra Lacirignola, of the Legal Office and representative of the Governorate for the nursery school.
The nuns of the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception in Albano, at the Pontifical Villas, contributed to the new Francis and Clare Nursery School by donating their own crafted hand-made wooden decorations to adorn the nursery.
Below is the Cardinal's speech:
I greet Sr. Raffaella, Monsignor Nappa and Attorney Puglisi-Alibrandi
Greetings to Don Franco and the Directors,
Greetings to the Authorities present,
Greetings to all of you, friends and brothers in Christ:
It is with great joy that today we inaugurate and bless the "San Francesco e Santa Chiara" Nursery School. We have chosen to entrust it to the Patron Saint of Italy and to Saint Clare so that they may protect in a special way the children who are cared for here. It is also a joy that this is happening during this Holy Year of the Jubilee, that fills our hearts with the hope and mercy of God.
This Nursery School was born from Pope Francis' concern for the families of Vatican employees, so that they can have an adequate structure to care for their little ones while they work.
It is a service that the Governorate of the Vatican City State is offering for the first time and allows us to have an equipped space where small girls and boys can grow, share and enjoy recreational activities in their early development guided by a professional educational team for whom we are grateful.
In a reality like the Governorate, offering this service has become a priority, to reconcile the working life of employees with their family life. In fact, only the development of structures like the one we are inaugurating can make the two things compatible. In the current context, the Governorate wanted to use its resources precisely to respond to the request of the Holy Father and put itself at the service of families.
I would like to thank in a special way all the people who have committed themselves to making this initiative a reality. I thank the managers and educators. I thank the entire staff of the Directorate of Infrastructures and Services and of the other Directorates who have worked with professionalism and commitment. Allow me to thank in a special way Ms. Maria Azzurra Lacirignola, member of the Legal Office, who as a mother welcomed and helped us make this wish come true.
I wish the parents, educators, and tiny members of the Nursery School to be able to journey a stretch of their lives together, under the gaze of Francis and Clare, to whom I entrust this new work.
