Hospitality offered by Pope
Homeless Woman Gives Birth Near St. Peter’s Square
Published in Zenit, Deborah Castellano Lubov, January 20, 2016
(Note: What is spectacular, abnormal, absurd, astounding or eye-opening in this news bit? There is bit of everything cited in this news. Happy fault (Felix Culpa) the church sings of the fault of first parents, eating the forbidden fruit. What makes the present instance news worthy is not that a Romanian lady, Maria Claudia gave birth to her baby girl on a street pavement under open sky. Aren’t there millions of poor and God forsaken homeless around the 
world condemned to give birth in similar or worse conditions? Holy family was better placed because they had at least a roof over their head, a cow shed. Two things that makes this birth spectacular and unforgettable are St.Peter’s Square known all over the world and Francis the Pope of the poor and homeless. There definitely are thousands of similar births taking place in similar of worse conditions around the world, but there is no a Pope like Francis there to make a difference in those places. It was Francis’ lightning speed to dash for grabbing any foot washing ministry to the underdog that has made and is making all the difference to the world’s homeless. My heart literally weeps for the miserable millions destined (by a merciless God?) to be born on pavements and are blamed for doing so? You and I, the affluent, break first the leg of our neighbor and then blame them for limping. Will this happy fault of 35 year old Maria waken the cold and benumbed consciences of Red Hats in the Catholic Church in India and around the world to think of our Pappa Francis and Imitate him once in a while at least to make his example contagious? james kottoor, editor)
A homeless woman has given birth near St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican will be offering hospitality.
Today, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, briefed journalists on the Maria Claudia, a 36-year-old Romanian woman, who gave birth to a little girl last night at 2 a.m. on the sidewalk of Piazza Pio XII.
The woman was brought to the nearby Hospital of Santo Spirito, where Papal Almoner, Msgr. Konrad Krajeswski, paid a special visit.
Father Lombardi shared these details with journalists and assured that the mom and daughter are doing well.
The Vatican spokesman also stressed that they will be offered, on behalf of the Pope, accommodation for one year at the home for unwed mothers run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa in Rome’s Primavalle.
Last night, Vatican police responded very quickly, arriving promptly to help the mother and Irene, the baby girl. An officer covered the baby with his jacket, to keep her safe and warm. Shortly after, the ambulance arrived to bring mother and daughter to the nearby Santo Spirito Hospital.
In the past, Maria Claudia had been invited to find shelter in the dormitories the Vatican recently opened to give some 34 homeless a place to sleep.
However, she always refused the offer, only making use only of the showers and other services the Holy Father made available for the Vatican’s homeless.
