We all wonder what Popes wished for Christmas when they were young. In 1934, the future Pope Benedict XVI, a young 7-year-old Joseph Ratzinger penned a letter to Jesus requesting three gifts for Christmas. “Dear Baby Jesus, you will soon descend to earth,” the words written in German read. “You want to bring joy to children. You will also bring joy to me.” Written in beautiful penmanship, he concluded: “I would like a Volks-Schott, a green chasuble, and a Heart of Jesus. I always want to be good. Greetings from Joseph Ratzinger.” The words were written just before Christmas, during Advent in pre-war Germany, when Hitler was already dominating the news. A Volks-Schott is a German prayer-book, and a chasuble is another name for the colored vestment the priest uses during Mass.
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