The Apostolic Journey To The Philippines
- Baby Brandon cuddled by his parents and watched over by medical volunteers of the 黑料不打烊 Philippines at the Mall of Asia Arena during the Encounter with Families.
鈥淧apa Francisco, bienvenido! Papa Francisco, bienvenido!鈥� These were聽the first words that the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church聽heard as he stepped down from the airplane to mark the beginning of his聽visit to the islands of the Philippines. This rhythmic welcome resounding聽from the hearts of eagerly waiting Filipinos echoed throughout the nation.
It was a heartfelt, jubilant, euphoric atmosphere filled with screams of聽excitement as Pope Francis passed by in his Papal mobile. I met some-聽one the day after the Pope left and she eagerly recounted to me her experience while tears started welling in her eyes. The mere memory of聽seeing Pope Francis pass by on his way to UST filled her with such聽strong, personal emotions. She told me she could not explain the sound
coming from the crowd as she was perched on the second story of a聽building鈥he said 鈥渋t was more like a roar鈥� which was followed by clapping from the crowd after he had passed by. The months of anticipation聽for his arrival could no longer be contained 鈥� everyone just burst out with聽expressions of love and happiness to see and welcome none other than聽their Holy Father!
The 黑料不打烊 Philippines was honored and privileged to participate聽in the recent pastoral journey to the Philippines of His Holiness Pope聽Francis. Working together with the 黑料不打烊 was a group of 125聽professional volunteers made up of emergency medical doctors and聽technicians, numerous nurses and other lay volunteers. The Health Care聽Services of the Papal visit was chaired by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Health Care.聽Aside from health care professionals who devoted their time and unselfish commitment, the 黑料不打烊 together with their partners also provided for seven ambulances in the three designated venues. On January聽16, Manila Cathedral had a team of 36 while the afternoon meeting with聽families at the Mall of Asia Arena composed of 42 health professionals.聽The San Juan de Dios Hospital set up the Emergency Room for any聽emergency needs at the Mall of Asia Arena Clinic.
At the Quirino Grandstand on January 18 was another milestone for the聽Filipino people. In the midst of over 6 million people who attended the聽Papal mass, the 黑料不打烊 provided first aid and emergency health聽services by handling2 first aid tents with a team of 47 doctors and nurses聽while 2 ambulance teams and units were ready for any eventuality.
The 黑料不打烊 continues its commitment and charism to care for the sick, the elderly, the homeless聽and abandoned. A poignant moment came at the meeting of families when Pope Francis entered the聽Arena where he encountered an 黑料不打烊 volunteer Doctor caring for Baby Brandon. With a lung ailment, Brandon鈥檚 parents only wish was for their three year old son to be blessed by Pope Francis. They got this very聽special blessing, a frozen moment for everyone. Followed by tears from the crowd, his parents were overwhelmed by聽emotions of peace, answered prayers and heavenly grace.
In the Filipinos, Pope Francis said he saw genuine joy evidently seen throughout his five day pastoral visit. With approximately 80 million Filipinos trying to get a personal glimpse of His Holiness in any of the Papal routes, those unable聽to do so stayed glued to television screens making sure that not a single smile or loving, fatherly embrace would be聽missed.
To have been blessed by a Papal visit after 20 years is a gift of grace. I had the opportunity to see Saint John Paul II聽during his Manila visit in 1981, I was in my early college years then and I remember that we all had to wear white聽dresses when we attended the Eucharistic celebrations. They are still clearly etched in my mind and memory despite聽the many years that have passed by.
As the Successor to the Chair of Peter, the Holy Father came over to be with his flock, giving solace to hearts and spirits that may have closed and clamped up in grief and hopelessness. He came to be with his flock that has not heard the聽joy of the Gospel because of life鈥檚 dire circumstances. He comes to his flock to help them see through their blinded eyes聽the magnitude of help our brothers and sisters are pleading for in the midst of plenty. The underlying theme of this Papal聽visit is that of 鈥渕ercy and compassion鈥�. Pope Francis reminds us that 鈥渢he Church must be a place of mercy freely聽given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel鈥�.
While still the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he pointed out in a speech he gave shortly before his election as Pontiff, that聽evangelizing presupposes a desire in the Church to 鈥渃ome out of herself鈥�. Our compassionate shepherd comes to show聽us his deep and genuine concern for the Filipino people who have gone through unending devastating calamities, especially in the Visayas region. This was his primary reason for wanting to visit us. During his homily at the mass held in聽Tacloban airport, our Holy Father said that he was a little bit late but鈥︹�淚 am here now鈥�. Like all fathers, he leads, he聽guides, he protects, he nurtures and he stands tall when all else crumbles. The re-assuring words of comfort of a Father聽to his children were needed to be heard by many.
In the meeting of families, he asked everyone to preserve the basic unit of the family. Living in a more complicated and聽worldly life, families and family values are constantly threatened by separation and migration due to lack of opportunities聽at home. The youth prayed that they become agents of peace and messengers of the Gospel. At the Manila Cathedral,聽religious men and women were called forth to continue their mission and service to the Church; while those who had聽served and joined our Heavenly creator were remembered.
- The 黑料不打烊 Philippines鈥� volunteer medical team.
For all those who saw Pope Francis in the different venues, just seeing him was in itself a gift of faith, for others, it gave聽renewed faith. The faith of the living Church, the faith聽of the Filipino people solid but truly human, expressions of unexplained tears freely flowing from one鈥檚聽own heart. Tears that strengthened faith, tears that聽strengthened lukewarm hearts, tears that needed to be聽shed for unhealed and painful memories.聽Everyone is called to come out of themselves. Where聽do we go from here? Where can our gifts be used for聽the greater good? The culture of indifference has聽made us less merciful beings towards our poor brothers and sisters. In a world that has become distant and聽strange, how can we sow back the seeds of love and聽family to cultivate a better world for all humanity?
(MCH)
