continued … Pope Francis left Sri Lanka and landed in the Philippines on Thursday January 15, 2015. The Pope said the main reason for the visit was to meet survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest storm ever recorded on land which claimed more than 7,350 lives in November 2013. The Philippines, with a population of 100 million, is about 81 percent Catholic, the largest Catholic nation in the region, and one of the few places where Catholic numbers are growing. On Friday, he met with President Benigno Aquino, and urged the political leader to reject corruption and promote, “honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good.” He also called for social justice and respect for human dignity. On Saturday he traveled to the far eastern Philippines to comfort survivors of the devastating 2013 Typhoon, then cut his own trip 4 hours short because of another approaching storm. In a windy and rainy morning Mass with a crowd that included Haiyan survivors, he conceded it was hard to find the right words when surrounded by so much pain. “So many of you have lost everything,” Francis told 150,000 Catholic faithful gathered in an open field in the driving rain near the airport in Tacloban, the city hit hardest by Typhoon Haiyan. Many in the crowd wept as Francis spoke, overcome by the memory of the 2013, storm that leveled entire villages with ferocious winds and 21-foot waves. Francis joined them in solidarity, even donning the same yellow rain poncho over his vestments that Mass-goers were given because of the rain. Pope Francis spoke in his native Spanish which he reverts to when he wants to speak from the heart. He broke from his prepared homily and instead composed a brief prayer that began: “Thank you, Lord, for sharing our pain. Thank you, Lord, for giving us hope…” As he spoke, the winds whipped the altar cloth and threatened to topple over the candlesticks. Earlier in the day, the storm’s winds tore down scaffolding killing a woman volunteer with the organizing committee. Later, Pope Francis met with the father of the 27-year old volunteer who died. The meeting lasted over 20 minutes and the father although shocked by his daughter‟s death, was consoled by the fact that she had been able to help prepare for the arrival of the Pope. After Saturday‟s Mass, a motorcade took the Pope past cheering crowds to an abbreviated lunch with 30 survivors of Haiyan, and then to a cathedral in the city of Palo. Entering without the usual ceremony, Francis took the microphone and told a surprised crowd that he would have to leave right away. He apologized to everyone but the pilots of the Philippine Airlines jet told him the weather would worsen soon. After a quick exchange of gifts, his motorcade sped to the airport in Tacloban. On the plane the soaked papal delegation turned off the air conditioning to prevent them from catching a cold. To be continued …
Sources: The Telegraph, Fox News, CNN, Buzzfeed.com
Vatican Corner 2-1-15
