“POPE Francis’ visit was an experience of faith. An experience of seeing, hearing, touching and feeling the unending search of people for God. The sight of the crowd speaks of two things: the flock dying to experience a good shepherd and the Good Shepherd wanting to be with his flock in all that life has to offer even literally amidst storms and difficulties. God was simply there!”
-Fr. Roy Gesulgun
“The experience of long queuing and time elements amazed us - how God made it possible for us to be with Pope Francis. Despite our tiredness and the threats of storm Amang, we did not mind it just to see Pope Francis. I saw the merciful and compassionate rosy face of Pope Francis. We were really blessed during our stay in Tacloban as if we were part of Pope Francis entourage for all the kind and generous treatment we had from our relatives there.”
--Marilyn Virata
“I was down with fever and a bad cough but that did not stop me from making it to Manila to see Pope Francis. Amazing would be the word to describe the whole experience. Although the invitation said 5 in the afternoon, we were in the Mall of Asia at 3 in the morning thinking that it was early enough to find a good parking space but to our amazement that early in the morning it was almost full. Getting a shut eye in the car, around 10 in the morning, we started to fall in line. Despite the tumultuous crowd, there was no shoving or any hint of impatience or complaint considering the queue was snakelike. Obediently, everyone just followed instructions. I was not only amazed but proud of the Filipinos. But the most amazing privilege was to be showered with the grace of being there enjoying the blessing of the moment in front of Pope Francis. What an amazing grace!”
- Aurora Fuentebella
“I bought plane tickets for Monico and myself to go to Tacloban even after a refusal from our four sons to be there to welcome the Pope. If we have to spend thousands of dollars to see him in Rome why not take this opportunity and see him right here in our own grounds? Changing our tickets in October so we could stay in Tacloban for two days was a problem because all seats were taken but for me I kept praying,'Lord you know how much I want to be with the Holy Father. You have to help us get our tickets!'
We got our tickets but all hotels were fully booked. When we got to Hotel Alejandro we found they had an extra room as some guests did not arrive due to Typhoon signal No. 2. 'Gee Lord, I know it was you who made all this possible.'
We were told some people would be pitching tents at the airport by January 16 in the evening. Some would be coming in at 2 a.m. At the latest it would be safe to come by 6 a.m. We were told we would be seated a little far but upon entering the quadrant, however, we were seen by the First Lady of Tacloban. We were able to sit in the front row. As soon as the pilgrims entered the quadrants they were given raincoats.
The Pope came also in a raincoat and it was decided that he should say Mass at the side altar because the rain was coming in to the main altar. We were right in front of the altar where the Pope was saying Mass.
The Mass was brief and his homily kept everyone in tears, especially the Yolanda survivors. One could see he was speaking from the heart. The heavy rains did not allow distribution of Holy Communion. However, after the Mass, the Pope went around in his Pope mobile twice. Imagine we were just an arms-length away from him. It was too good to be true! That’s the closest one can get.
The people were so disciplined. There was no rushing or pushing. After the Pope had left we joined the other pilgrims walk through the mud for some 100 meters. We decided not to go to Palo, Leyte but we did go the night before as we were carrying a painting of the Pope done by Clavecillas but never had a chance to give it to him personally. Instead Msgr. Du, Archbishop of Palo, Leyte placed the painting in the room of the Pope at the Archbishop’s Palace.
Viva, Santo Papa Francesco!"
--Josefa Puentevella
rAnalu and Jopie went to Manila with invitation, no gate pass. While Analu has seen Pope Francis in Rome in many occasions, Jopie’s dream was to see the Pope because a trip to Rome was no certainty.
Considering the situation, they were glad that there was a room left in Manila Hotel. With that, they will have the chance of seeing him at the Luneta Mass. However, they saw more of him while waiting for hours in the periphery of the Nunciature as he came in and out.
To Analu, seeing the Pope in Manila is a totally different experience than Rome. For all, the usual initial instinct is to click our cameras away in the holy presence. This time, she decided to look more into his face and she truly saw the holiness of the Pontiff.
For Jopie, all she wanted was to see Pope Francis in person. She did not pray for a hug or whatever. All she wanted was to see him and she got her prayer. Jopie witnessed the goodness of people during their efforts to just wait and see the Pope.
During the waiting game, she made many friends from all over the Philippines who were there patiently waiting as well. Since everyone there was united in one purpose, the innate goodness of all surfaced. We are made in the image and likeness of Christ and during Pope Francis’ stay, the Christ in each of us radiated.
Dorothy Lacson Castaneda was a student at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in the Vatican from 2011 to 2014. Having that experience, here are some of her impressions of Pope Francis.
“His weekly Wednesday audience and his Sunday Angelus, from his first year and even up to now, are always full of people. The Italians love him. Italians from different parts of Italy would travel all the way to Rome to see him.
He is really a pastor, a preacher. He really loves to interact with his audience. In some of his Audience or Angelus, he would use a question and answer format. Sometimes, he gives his audience homework for the week until the next Audience or Angelus. For example, one time, he talked to them about the Gospel and the importance of reading the Gospels. He gave it as their assignment to buy a small bible and read the Gospels.
He organized prayer vigils for different intentions. I attended the prayer for peace in Syria. We had the Liturgy of the Word and Rosary. He organized a vigil for confession, wherein priests will be available 24 hours to hear confession in some selected churches in Rome. To begin this vigil, as he entered the St. Peter's Basilica, he walked directly to the confessional box and did his own confession. He really tries to teach by example, which can be very powerful.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is very pedagogical in his style. He is really an intellectual. He explains many things about the Faith clearly. He can really reason out didactically. Do I prefer one or the other? I would say they complement each other. With Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's writings, my mind gets formed. With Pope Francis, I get to know how to live what has been formed in my mind. I get to live the Faith. I get to apply what I learned, practice what I preach.
What do I tell him if I had the chance to talk to him personally? Cuenta con migo. Count on me. In this battle of the new evangelization, I will do my share in re-Christianizing the world. I will go to the peripheries through my professional work."