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Monday, April 11, 2005
Cuizon: A meaningful man
By ERMA CUIZON
BIRD BY BIRD
I FAILED to see Pope John Paul II when he came to Cebu on Feb. 19, 1981. As a government media employee, I was then in charge of the media center at the Magellan Hotel for local, national and international journalists. Everyone at the local diocese, and everybody else, was surely on his toes keeping the papal trip memorable before, during and after the visit.
A floor lower than ground, in level with the old Sandtrap night club, was where the effective DPI team behind me put up 10 PLDT landlines in booths for the use of journalists covering the visit. We also put together a number of typewriters in rows. Of course, if the computers were then available, also the cell phones, then probably I could have had the time for a quick moment to run to the street to watch the pope slowly drive by.
Recalling the day, I tell myself (to convince myself) that there must be something worth saving in Filipinos or else the late pontiff wouldn’t have connected with us appreciably so the way he did.
In his trip to the Far East, Pope John spent more time with Filipinos than with any other people in the area. Or was it because we sorely need to save ourselves from ourselves (with a little help from him)?
Pope John visited Pakistan, Guam, Tokyo and the Philippines in February 1981. He was then about 60 years old and must have looked sprightly as he moved about (as he did in other distant parts of the world)—two days in Guam, one day in Pakistan, four days in Japan and five days in the Philippines.
From Manila, he came to Cebu then went on to Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, Legaspi, Cavite and Baguio. I think there was hardly anyone in the cities he went to who didn’t catch a glimpse of him. A few others had actual memorable quick moments of being linked deeply with the strongest and long lasting, kindest, most earnest man on earth.
Last week’s Sun.Star Cebu stories were about the experiences of Cebuanos who said they were fortunate enough to have connected with the pontiff. Hector Gentapa at seven years old (now at 30, he’s an OFW) got his first communion from the pope himself as the chosen First Communion child from Pinamungajan. Joannalyn Gabales (now an English professor) was able to get a photo of the pope.
A niece, who was then 10 years old, stood in line for hours by the road, together with her classmates, to wait for the pope to pass by. When he finally did, he extended his arm to bless everyone and a drop of his perspiration fell on the little girl’s arm looking up to him by the roadside. Without wiping off the holy sweat, she kept it there as long as she could, feeling utterly special in her own child’s way.
(emc@sunstar.com.ph)
(April 11, 2005 issue)
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