Filipinos manifest God’s love: Blessed John Paul II
MANILA, Philippines — “I love the Philippines. I love the Filipino people.” — Pope John Paul II, 09 September 1994
With these words, Pope John Paul II greeted our Philippine delegation at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.
Those simple declarations, warmly uttered and with depth of feeling, enlightened our hearts. As fervently, we responded by expressing the respect, admiration, and love of Filipinos for him.
Many kababayans (countrymen/countrywomen) – including OFWs, balikbayans (returning dual-citizens), and the young ones who missed Pope John Paul II’s 10th World Youth Day in Manila in January 1995 – may not have understood the full significance of the convergence of two recent momentous events: the beatification of John Paul II and the elimination by US forces of Osama Bin Laden the following day (02 May). Was this the miracle (by JPII), as claimed by Peru’s President Alan Garcia (03 May) – “to rid the world of this incarnation of evil and criminality (OBL)?”
In our column last Sunday, we focused on the al-Qaeda plot masterminded by Bin Laden and his protégé Ramzi Yousef to assassinate the Pope during his visit to the Philippines on 12-16 January 1995.
Peace uppermost in our minds
In September 1994, Castel Gandolfo was the first stop in FVR’s series of visits to five EU countries. Our secular mission was to strengthen bilateral relations with each nation/state, and promote trade/investment in our upbeat Philippines. As head of state of the only Asian country largely adhering to the Catholic faith, FVR wanted to begin his European sorties by bringing the greetings of Filipinos to their Roman Catholic spiritual pastor; and to receive, in turn, his blessings for them.
The Pope looked fit; his face glowed with health and energy. We told him how Filipinos were joyfully awaiting his visit and brought news of the preparations being made.
His eyes brightened as he discussed his favorite topic – his apostolate among the world’s young people. Yes, he assured us, he would be in Manila on schedule; he was wholeheartedly looking forward to his visit.
The subject of peace turned out to be uppermost in both our minds. Pope John Paul II spoke of the Church’s efforts to promote peace – not only in Bosnia but also in Rwanda, Cambodia, the Korean peninsula and, in particular, Mindanao.
We told him of our government’s efforts to bring to the negotiating table various dissident groups – communist insurgents, military rebels and Muslim secessionists – so that, instead of shooting one another, we could reason together.
The Holy Father listened intently; and when he replied, it was evident he was familiar with the peace processes ongoing in our country.
Solidarity through social pacts
We also updated Pope John Paul II on our efforts to forge consensus within the national community on socio-economic reforms through “social pacts” – the basic concepts for which came from his 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus.
In receiving our Ambassador Oscar S. Villadolid at the Holy See in 1991, the Pope had spoken of his vision of a “new form of solidarity” for the world.
He was highly pleased to learn we practiced this new solidarity, and pursued peace processes on many fronts under a national unification/reconciliation program. He listened with great interest to the summary of our Lakas-National Union of Christian Democrats-United Muslim Democrats Party’s political principles – people empowerment, democratization, environmental protection, subsidiarity (devolution, decentralization, deregulation), and sustainable development – which are derived from the Vatican’s first social encyclical, Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, whose 100th anniversary Centesimus Annus commemorated.
These principles, we stressed, were not merely political commitments. We were actually implementing them through our “Social Reform Agenda and Anti-Poverty Policies” which were later embodied in R.A. 8425 (Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, 1997).
Faith in God; Love of Filipinos
Proving his full faith in God and love of Filipinos, Pope John Paul II disregarded confirmed threats to his life uncovered by AFP-PNP intelligence, and proceeded with his second visit to the Philippines as scheduled without hesitation.
He merged this with our hosting of the 10th World Youth Day and the 400th Anniversary of the Founding of the Archdiocese of Manila.
During his WYD homily, the Los Angeles Times reported (16 January 1995): “Pope John Paul II, climaxing his Church’s World Youth Day, seemed as much awed as awe-inspiring as he savored the largest crowd he has ever greeted. Vatican officials said it was the biggest crowd in the 16-year reign of history’s most-traveled Pope – bigger than the turnout in 1979 when John Paul II returned to his native Poland for the first time as Pope.”
World Youth Day was a Catholic festival that lasted from 10 to 15 January in various venues. It was the first time an Asian country hosted the event. Youth pilgrims gathered from different parts worldwide to worship together, learn each other’s cultures, and dialogue as “brothers and sisters.”
Masses were celebrated every day in almost every Catholic Church in the Philippines. The closing Mass, held at Rizal Park, was attended by more than 5 million people – the current world record for the largest Papal gathering in Roman Catholic history. Some have said it was the largest Christian assemblage ever.
The event was further celebrated with worthwhile activities, including a “Barrio Fiesta,” where assigned groups gathered to socialize and exchange ideas.
The beatification of John Paul II
Two weeks ago, last 01 May, John Paul II was proclaimed “Blessed” by Pope Benedict XVI before vast crowds of the faithful at St. Peter’s Square and to the world by multi-media.
Pope Benedict XVI recalled the “pain” and “grace” of Pope John Paul II’s funeral and the “discreet speed” (because it pleased the Lord) of his beatification. The Holy Father noted that the beatification happened on the Feast of Divine Mercy (revered by Cardinal Karol Józef Wojtyla) on the eve of which in 2005, Pope John Paul II died.
John Paul II – said Pope Benedict XVI – is “Blessed because of his faith, a strong, generous and apostolic faith… It is the beatitude of faith which John Paul II received as a gift from God the Father for the building up of Christ’s Church.”
During his first Philippine visit as arranged by First Lady Imelda Marcos in February 1981, of prominent significance was his presence at the Philippine Refugee Processing Center in Morong, Bataan. “Msgr. Victor Ocampo, who attended the 1981 Papal Mass, said the Pontiff exhorted the refugees not to lose hope amid their displacement because God loves them,” Ocampo quoted the Pope, Inquirer.net reported (03 May).
The care extended to them by the PRPC was the manifestation of God’s love, the Pope told some 20,000 refugees and Filipino friends during his homily.
For almost 20 years, the PRPC took care of some 400,000 Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian “boatpeople” who escaped conflict in their countries in the mid-1970s. Soon after it was deactivated, the PRPC was converted to productive use as the Bataan Technology Park in 1997.
World’s first Blessed JPII Shrine
A day after Pope JPII’s beatification, FVR visited the BTP complex in Morong, site of the very first Blessed JPII Shrine – a fitting religious memorial which reflects Filipinos’ adoration and love for the late Pope.
BTP Vice President/Project Director Commodore (Ret.) Amado Sanglay said that Blessed John Paul II would always merit special reverence from Filipinos. “His contributions to Catholic evangelism, conflict resolution, and concern for the youth make him really blessed,” Sanglay added.
Thus, this shrine is expected to be a pilgrimage site for displaced people around the world, led by former Asian refugees and their descendants; the world’s youth and their Filipino counterparts; and also the “young once,” led by 1995 WYD delegates who are now mostly parents themselves, as they continue to seek peace and fulfillment in their lives – having been personally blessed by the venerated future Saint, John Paul II.
Keeping a promise
In FVR’s send-off message to Pope John Paul II on 16 January 1995, he made this promise on behalf of our nation, thus:
“We have listened and we have heard your message. And we will bear it in mind in our labors in the days and months and years to come. For truly there is much that we can do for ourselves, for our country, and for the world once we learn, as you put it: ‘To see with the eyes of Jesus Christ.’
“Together with the young people of the Philippines whom you affected so deeply, we too pledge a new commitment to make common cause with others in building a more peaceful and happier world.”
To Filipinos today, especially our elected leaders, the challenge is: To individually perform then reform, and collectively to transform as a nation. Would this happening not be another miracle?
Kaya ba natin ito?
Please send any comments to fvr@rpdev.org. Copies of articles are available at www.rpdev.org.
Article source: Read More
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