Pope Francis offers special attention to man with Down syndrome

Down Syndrome Awareness Month comes to a close on Thursday, and we couldn’t let it pass by without sharing one more inspiring story about the strides that are being made in Down syndrome awareness and acceptance. Pope Francis has already demonstrated on numerous occasions his dedication to promoting the value of human life.

Before he was even pope, Jorge Bergoglio urged Argentinian priests to support women who became pregnant out of wedlock and honor their courageous decision to choose life. Since his move to Rome, the Holy Father has remained faithful to this principle, even making a surprise call to a young mom who chose life in spite of difficulty. And most recently, the Huffington Post shared a story about Pope Francis spending time with a young man who has Down syndrome during a papal audience. He even invited the teen to ride in his “popemobile.”

The action surprised Paul Rausenbush, who had initially believed that Pope Francis “was about as charismatic as a wall,” but he admits that he’s been pleasantly surprised by the pontiff’s outgoing nature. “This is actually really cool,” said the reporter. And that’s the truth!