Did you see that President Obama gave a "seed chest" made out of wood from mahogany pews salvaged from Baltimore's basilica? Inside was a selection of fruit and vegetable seeds from the White House's Garden. Along with that, was a promise from Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate, to donate seeds which will yield several tons of produce to a charity of Pope Francis' choice.
The gift was inspired by the pope's announcement that he would open the gardens of Castel Gandolfo to the public. Castel Gandolfo is the papal summer residence - and where Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI lived until his apartments in the Vatican were ready for him .
In turn, Pope Francis gave the president a bound edition of his apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium" - The Joy of the Gospel. (from Pittsburgh Catholic, Friday, Arpil 4, 2014 edition; Gift Obama gave pope points to history of U.S. Catholicism pp1 & 9
One would like to think that the seeds presented were reminders that we in America realize that each of us is called to spread the seeds of faith.
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