Pope Francis has arrived back in Rome at the end of his weeklong trip to Asia, a journey which took him first to Sri Lanka and then onto the Philippines. He arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport on Monday evening and then made a brief visit to the Basilica of St Mary Major before returning to the Vatican.
The papal plane took off from Manila airport for the almost 15 hour flight early on Monday morning, as hundreds of thousands of Filipinos lined the streets of the capital to catch a final glimpse of the Pope.
During the three day visit to Asia’s largest Catholic country, Pope Francis captured the hearts of Filipinos as he visited the central cities of Tacloban and Palo to offer words of comfort to survivors of the 2013 Typhon Haian. Millions of people also turned out, despite the bad weather, to be present at the Pope’s final Mass in Manila’s Luneta Park on Sunday.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Pope Francis has arrived back in Rome at the end of his weeklong trip to Asia, a journey which took him first to Sri Lanka and then onto the Philippines. He arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport on Monday evening and then made a brief visit to the Basilica of St Mary Major before returning to…
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(Vatican Radio) One of the most moving encounters of the Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to the Philippines was during the Meeting with Youth at the University of Santo Tomas on Sunday.
The Holy Father has listened to the testimony of two street children being sheltered by the Tulay ng Kabataan foundation (ANAK-Tnk) . Fourteen-year-old Jun Chura and twelve-year-old Glyzelle Palomar had experienced the worst in the street of Manila.
“Why is God allowing such things to happen, even if it’s not the fault of the children? “ asked Glyzelle in tears.
Pope Francis hugged both children, and later asked “Did I learn to cry when I see a child who is hungry, a child using drugs in the street, a child without a home, a child abandoned, a child abused, a child used by a society as a slave?”
The testimony of the children was given in Tagalog. The ANAK-Tnk Foundation has released an English translation. We provide it below.
Jun “Michael” Chura
14 years old
Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation, Inc. (ANNAK-Tnk)
www.anak-tnk.org
Dear Holy Father, My name is Jun Chura, I am fourteen years old, and I am a former street child. Because of the fact that my family was not anymore able to send me to school, I went away from home and left my family. Then I was feeding myself with what I can find in the garbage. I did not know where to go and I was sleeping on the sidewalk. I was looking for a piece of carton to make a mat. And I was trying to overcome this situation even if my body was so dirty like my companions in the street. They were also overcoming their situations in spite of the fact that their bodies were dirty also. I did not know also how to find food day after day, and what I was doing was just to wait for people to finish their meal in restaurant, then I was asking for their leftover. Also sometimes I was roaming around just to find broken material that I could sell: I was looking for plastic bottles, or papers and when my bag was full, I was selling it to make some money to buy some food. It happened also that I was knocking at doors in the neighborhood to beg for food but often they had nothing to give. When I was in the street, I witness also things I don’t like, terrible things that happened to my companions in the street : I saw that they were taught how to steal, to kill also, and they have no respect anymore for the adults. Sometimes they were quarreling because of the things they stole. I saw also some children who were taught how to use drugs like shabu, cigarets or marijuana. I saw also some of my companions sniffing solvent or glue. These are drugs also. This is what I have often seen happening to my companions in the street. When I was in the street I was also very careful because I saw also some of my friends being fooled by adults.
They were pretending to give us money to catch attention and approach the children and let them think that they will be given something to eat, or the opportunity to study and care, but the truth is that they have other goal and they will use you, like for cleaning their homes, and sometimes they have malicious goalls like sexual abuse. There are so many abuses happening in the street! After a certain number of days, suddenly I found back hope because there is a street educator from «Tulay ng kabataan» foundation (ANAK-Tnk), who asked me if I want to join this agency helping children living in the street. He asked me if I wanted to join, and at first I decline the proposal. Few days after, when I learned that Tulay ng Kabataan is really taking care of street children who are not anymore with their families, I realized that not all people have no heart. There are still people with hearts ready to help children in need.
When I joined «Tulay ng kabataan» foundation (ANAK-Tnk), I was very surprised to see that there are people really ready to help and then I started to dream again. I told myself that when I will finish my study, I will be the one helping street children like me before. I will be able also to help my own family and the «Tulay ng Kabataan» foundation (ANAK-Tnk) which was the one helping me to continue my study. I know today thaat I will be able to continue my study because TNK (ANAK-Tnk) is at my side, and do not stop helping me and my companions from the street. Thank you so much!
Glyzelle Iris “Techie” Palomar
12 years old
Tulay ng Kabataan foundation, Inc. (ANAK-Tnk)
www.anak-tnk.org
There are many children neglected by their own parents. There are also many who became victims and many terrible things happened to them like drugs or prostitution. Why is God allowing such things to happen, even if it is not the fault of the children? And why are they only very few people helping us?
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) One of the most moving encounters of the Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to the Philippines was during the Meeting with Youth at the University of Santo Tomas on Sunday. The Holy Father has listened to the testimony of two street children being sheltered by the Tulay ng Kabataan foundation (ANAK-Tnk). Fourteen-year-old Jun…
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(Vatican Radio) As is customary on a papal journey, Pope Francis has sent telegrams to the Head of State of every country his plane flies over during his flight from Manila to Rome. For the second time in history, this includes the People’s Republic of China. He assures the Chinese President, Xi Jinping of his prayers for the people of China, and invoked blessings of “harmony and prosperity.”
The Holy Father’s telegram to Italy was addressed to Senator Pietro Grasso, who became Acting President of Italy on 14 January 2015, upon the resignation of President Giorgio Napolitano.
The full text of all the telegrams are below, in their original languages
Philippines – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY BENIGNO AQUINO
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
MANILA
AS I DEPART FROM THE PHILIPPINES, I EXTEND TO YOU, THE GOVERNMENT AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME AND EVERY KINDNESS SHOWN TO ME DURING MY VISIT. I RENEW TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
China– 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY XI JINPING
PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
BEIJING
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF CHINA, INVOKING UPON YOU ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF HARMONY AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Mongolia – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY TSAKHIAGIIN ELBEGDORJ
PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA
ULAANBAATAR
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF MONGOLIA, INVOKING UPON YOU ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Russia – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY VLADIMIR VLADIMIROVICH PUTIN
PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
MOSCOW
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, INVOKING UPON YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Belarus – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
MINSK
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF BELARUS, INVOKING UPON YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Poland – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY BRONISLAW KOMOROWSKI
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND
WARSAW
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND THE BELOVED PEOPLE OF POLAND, AND I INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE LORD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE, JOY AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Czech Republic – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY MILOŠ ZEMAN
PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC
PRAGUE
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, INVOKING UPON ALL OF YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Slovakia – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY ANDREJ KISKA
PRESIDENT OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC
BRATISLAVA
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC, INVOKING UPON ALL OF YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Austria – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY HEINZ FISCHER
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA
VIENNA
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRIA, INVOKING UPON YOU ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Slovenia – 19 January 2015
HIS EXCELLENCY BORUT PAHOR
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
LJUBLJANA
I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER THE COUNTRY ON MY WAY FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE VATICAN. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF SLOVENIA, INVOKING UPON YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP
Arrival in ITALY – 19 January 2015
A SUA ECCELLENZA
SEN. PIETRO GRASSO
PRESIDENTE SUPPLENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE 00187 ROMA
AL RIENTRO DAL VIAGGIO APOSTOLICO IN SRI LANKA E FILIPPINE, DOVE HO POTUTO INCONTRARE NUMEROSI FEDELI E RAPPRESENTANTI DI QUELLE CARE POPOLAZIONI AMMIRANDONE IL FERVORE SPIRITUALE E CIVILE, ESPRIMO A LEI, SIGNOR PRESIDENTE, IL MIO CORDIALE SALUTO ED ASSICURO UN ORANTE RICORDO PER IL BENE E LA PROSPERITA’ DELL’INTERA NAZIONE ITALIANA, CHE DI CUORE BENEDICO
FRANCISCUS PP.
(from Vatican Radio)…