Every morning 11-year-old Joey Sarto set off on the 4-mile trek to school with his shoes slung over his shoulders to save the leather. Since he was the oldest child in a large family, his parents could certainly have used his help on the farm, but they had firmly decided that their promising young son should go to high school. They were very proud that he had won a full scholarship. Neighbors wondered what Joey Sarto might become when he grew up. Soon Joey knew he wanted to become a priest. After many long studies, he was ordained a priest forever. His mother was overjoyed to receive her son's priestly blessing for the first time.Everyone loved Father Sarto. He was so good with children, he preached wonderful sermons, and it seemed he was always giving away everything he had to the poor. But he regretted the fact that, back in those days, children could not receive Our Lord in Holy Communion until age 12 or 14.Eventually Father Sarto was made a bishop, then a Cardinal-and finally the Holy Father, Pope Pius X But he remained a humble farm boy at heart, and he still loved children. Soon he announced that boys and girls were to receive First Holy Communion at around age 7.After many years God called Pope Pius X home to Heaven. People missed him greatly, but they were filled with joy when he was canonized in 1954. Joey Sarto had become a great saint.
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