#dearpopefrancis

[theologyisaverb]

Worth Revisiting: Dear Pope Francis

Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World (Loyola Press)

With the incredible appeal of Pope Francis, there has been understandably a vast array of books on him or by him featuring his homilies, angelus’, addresses and encyclicals. Yet, I am so thrilled to be able to preview a book composed of letters and questions by children and the tender responses of Pope…

[antoniospadaro]

#dearpopefrancis @loyolapress #smile #PopeFrancis

[recoveringpeeppleaser]

Look what came from Gigi today! The boys will be so stoked! #dearpopefrancis #Catholic (at Oyster Landing Townhomes Sneads Ferry NC)

[traveleffecto]

Smart Offers free Twitter access to Mobile Phone users from January 15 to 19, 2015

[mexrockerita82-blog]

Sophie Cruz. (1/5) #DearPopeFrancis

[aiza-llapitan-blog]

We survived Pope Francis final public mass soaked to the bone. #dearPopeFrancis #PopeFrancisPH #PopeTYSM #WeLovePopeFrancis #PapalVisitPH

[colormyfaith]

Weekend with the Pope

I was lucky enough to volunteer for the Papal visit with Maynilad. We were assigned to give water to everyone. So my mom and I head out Saturday morning at 5 am to stay with an aunt who had rented a place one block away from the gates of Luneta. It couldn't get better than that.

I had packed up as if I were going camping. Bring as little stuff as possible and bring all the necessary gear. We were anticipating 6 million people and prolly less than 100 portalettes, which meant we had to eat and drink less and possibly be on our feet for 18 hours straight.

We had settled in my Tita's place and I rolled out the mattress and slept on the floor. It was a one bed room apartment and the only bed room was fully occupied by my mom and my Tita. It was a quaint place but it had all the necessary things we needed. It was a condo unit and it was fully furnished. It was cozy and I daydreamed of one day owning my own space.

We checked in at around 5:30 am so we went back to sleep so we could have energy for the morning (or midnight) after.

At around 2 pm, my mom, my Tita and myself got up for some late brunch. We all decided to part ways, my mom and myself, and my tita on her own, to check out the scene. My mom and I walked around United Nations road and even onto the luneta grounds itself where the Papal mass would be held.

My mom has this gift of charming people and gave off an energy that belonged anywhere she went. No guards stopped us despite the barricades and gates and ribbons that meant to tell people it was not allowed to enter. She simply walked through the narrow gate and walked in as if she were some VIP. 'Kilos taga-dito', she said. And it worked.

We got to see the place, tried to figure out our spot for tomorrow and just savored the moment of silence and peace. It was very empty, compared to the jam packed human sea which we experienced the next day.

We continued to walk around the streets, buying T-shirt souvenirs and fans and looking at the maps which was a guide for all the participants for the mass. We looked at some hotels even and grabbed snacks from Family Mart. 

I have found a new favorite drink btw - Caramel Milk Tea. Creamy, light and just the right kind of sweet. I learned that Family Mart's microwavable meals were pretty good and it was very reasonable. 

As we got back to our place, all on foot, which was a miracle for my mom given her age, we made dinner in the quiet, packed our see-through bags (which was a requirement for all the mass participants) with our trail mix, extra shirts, water bottles and wet wipes and all the other gear we needed, and went to bed early.

I was in bed by 8 but I woke up around 10 pm feeling excited. When you know you're about to wake up early, I guess your body has the tendency to keep awake. I had a hard time going back to sleep, I ended up surfing the net, praying or listening to piano music, desperate to get some sleep.

I ended up getting up at around 11:30 pm to shower and might as well prep up. Our call time was at 2 am but at around 12 midnight, my mom got a text from our coordinator that we would move early.

At 12:30, we were in our meeting point, met up with our fellow volunteers, and headed out to our post in the Luneta area, around 50 meters from the altar.

It was a comfy tent with plastic mono-block chairs and everything was set up. It was a mansion compared to the plastic material people would use to sit on the grass with. 

The bathroom was near by and we had access in and out the barricades because of our volunteer IDs. 

I fell asleep around 3 am and napped for an hour. Come 6 am, the gates had opened and the space started to fill up. People were gathering and holding their places and just waited. A few would start getting water and some even had their own water bottles to refill with our water.

We had 9 hours till the mass and I conked out at around 9 am from lack of sleep. I napped again for about an hour and I woke up revitalised enough to hand out water to a larger crowd since the sea of people were growing. 

it had started to drizzle and colors of yellow and green would splatter the sea as people would wear their disposable raincoats.

It hadn't stopped raining the whole day and the portalette lines had gotten longer and longer.

I knew it was a blessing that it would rain so it would keep people cool.

At around 3 pm, finally the bells started to ring as this signalled the Pope's arrival. 

People flocked to the sides to greet the Pope. Everyone was excited and screaming and I stood on my tiptoes to see which direction he would come form.

He didn't pass by our side but I could feel this strong presence in the grandstand as the Holy Father made His way to the alter.

It was humbling, his movements were so gentle, like his voice.

My mom and I made our way through the thick crowd during the mass to get as close as possible. 

There was no way of sitting down and it was cold and I was drenched with rain, as were everyone else around me. I could see bodies shake and move back and forth as if they would faint.

A child behind me hid under the shirt of her mother. People using anything to cover their heads, plastics, cardboard, paper even.

All these people, who waited more than 12 hours uncomfortably and in the rain to see and witness this moment. Our group was the first on the grounds. We had waited 15 hours total. 

It was worth it. I was feeling revived inside and excited to partake of this blessed experience.

Come Homily, I listened to the Holy Father with eyes closed, concentrating on his soft voice but received the significance in his words. It was hard to hear but I heard God say, "I am here, i am going into your heart."

I don't have the words to describe that mass. I can say it's one of the biggest experiences of my life. It was powerful and I can't summarize it or narrate it to recall the powerful presence it had. 

When it was time for the Our Father Song, we all held hands. Strangers, shivering wet, reading wet misalettes and following the words of the song.

I cried. 

I just felt the piercing presence of God. 

"You are all my children."

The rain was soaking into my clothes and my hair was drenched. My knees were aching and my calves were starting to cramp. 

Everyone was proboby feeling the ache. I didn't think I'd have the energy to stand through out the mass. It was almost 2 hours long. After little sleep and being exhausted, I prayed for strength. and it came quietly.

During Holy Communion, my mom and I thought we wouldn't be able to receive due to the massive number of people.

We wove into the crowd to make our way back to the post hoping we would catch a lay minister and receive the Body of Christ.

We even chased a minister but lost him in the crowd.

Low and behold, walking back to our post, there was a short line, about to be filled with communion takers. We were one of the first to line and up and my mom and I rejoiced at receiving communion. I've never felt so grateful to be part of a line. 

Heading back to our tent, I heard people were passing the communion wafers to the people in the back. It was heart quenching. Shivering hands, old hands, young hands, sharing Christ's body as the minister was giving the communion hosts from the barricades. 

It was beautiful.

As the final blessing came, the MC announced that the Pope would make His rounds to greet all of us. I was estatic.

My group and I stood on chairs and had our phones ready to document this great experience. I stood in full anticipation and excitement. I watched the faces of other people, shoving me and me trying to make space for myself. I remember shouting and chanting with the people.

"Papa Prancisco, Mahal ng Pilipino"

Solitude. One voice, one prayer.

I saw the pope mobile come closer and closer and my heart wouldn't stop pumping. He was here. The Vicar of Christ was here. I head Him whisper again.

 "I am going to your heart"

He entered into my periphery and I was filled to tears instantly. It was a slow car and I had a good minute just looking at his face, hoping my phone was angled right, videotaping as he passed by. 

Everyone else was crying. My mom, myself, my fellow volunteers, the people around me. His presence is so powerful.

What more if it were Jesus Himself in the flesh. 

Mom mom was estatic. We went back inside our tent and continued to give out water. My mom was dancing as she was handing out water. 

I said a quiet prayer of thanks and looked to the sky, for a little while unbelieving of what had just happened.

His words were "pray for me"

Thank you for visiting our country, Holy Father.

You are in my prayers.

[paointhemirror]

Was just reflecting on Pope Francis' words last night while I was talking to @maiteiturralde, then lo and behold my dealer hands me this as token from his pilgrimage. #dearPopeFrancis #serendipity always amazes me to no end. 🙏 #goosebumps (at Smallville 21 Hotel, Iloilo City)

[iamlovedandsooowinlove-blog-blog]

I'm here! Believe me!✌ You'll just be needing a lot of what you call 'PATIENCE' to find me.HAHA 😂 #PapalEncounterwiththeYouth #YouthDelegate #PapalVisitPh #DearPopeFrancis (at University of Santo Tomas)

[akomismosifaye]

Muli po, isang taos pusong pasasalamat Santo Padre! Salamat sa pagbisita sa aming Inang Bayan. Salamat sa pagbibigay ng inspiration, pagmamahal, pagmamalasakit at aral sa aming mga Pilipino.. Mabuhay Ka, Santo Padre! Mahal ka Naming mga Pilipino! Muli kaming nananabik sa iyong pagbabalik muli sa aming Inang Bayan.. ❤️🙏 #PopeTYSM #PopeFrancisPH #PapalVisitPH2015 #GodBlessThePhilippines #DearPopeFrancis #BlessedByThePope

[mexrockerita82-blog]

Sophie Cruz. (2/5) #DearPopeFrancis

[iamjonasjaco]

This is a good list to summarize all of Pope Francis' quotable quotes during his Apostolic Visit here in the Philippines. We live the lessons, we face reality. #SHARE #PopeFrancisPH #PapalVisitPH #PopeTYSM #DearPopeFrancis #BlessedByThePope

[lifeworksandexperienced]

Actual scenario in United nation station in LRT taft Manila. Everyone is line up to respective area in their point to witness the word blessing brought by Pope Francis. As you can see this is earlier taken aerial view of street.

[jing0307]

Mas nakakaiyak! 😔😞😣😢😭 So long! Farewell! We hate to see you go. 'til next time... We've seen Jesus in you, hope we -the Filipinos, Catholics even Non-Catholics be more merciful & compassionate. To think well, feel well & do well...#BlessedbythePope #PopeFrancisPH #PopeFrancisPH #DearPopeFrancis #PopeFrancisEffect #Repost @rappler with @repostapp. . . . Pope Francis waves goodbye to the Philippines. #PopeFrancisPH (at home❤️❤️❤️)

[inconspicuousfangirl]

It's not a goodbye but a "See you soon, Lolo Kiko!" #PopeFrancisPH #DearPopeFrancis #BlessedbythePope (c)KuyaMark

[amazemyles]

We love you Pope Francis!❤️❤️❤️....salamat po sa malasakit😄#popefrancisph#dearpopefrancis#blessed🙏#mercyandCompassion