“DON’T get tired of bringing the mercy of the Father to the poor, the sick, the abandoned, the young people and the family,” the Holy Father urged in his video message during the final day of the first Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization (PCNE).
Addressing Asia and the Philippines for the first time, Pope Francis extended his gratitude to the organizers and participants of the conference held last Oct. 16 to 18 at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.
“The Church of Christ is alive. Through this conference, I hope you would experience the presence of Jesus in your lives, that you would love the Church more and that you would share the Gospel to other people with humility and joy,” Pope Francis said in his first-ever remarks in the English language.
“Bring Jesus now into the world of politics, business, arts, science, technology and social media,” he added.
The pope also gave his blessings to the country and Asia, as he spoke partly in Filipino.
“Let the Holy Spirit renew the creation that brings forth justice and peace in the Philippines and in the great continent of Asia that is close to my heart. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Asia! Pagpalain kayo ng Diyos!” he said.
After Pope Francis’s message, 6,000 delegates lighted candles and sang “Let Us Tell the World of His Love,” the theme song of the 1995 World Youth Day celebrations held in Manila.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who was emotional during the lighting ceremony, called the faithful to build a home of love, forgiveness, and peace.
Reaching out to the disaffected, Tagle apologized to people who have been hurt or neglected by the Church.
“In the name of my brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church and even in other Christian communities, I beg for pardon. We are sorry for the sins and the hurt that we have inflicted to both Catholics and non-Christians,” he said.
Tagle expressed regret for the lack of love and concern that the Church had shown to others, especially the weak and the oppressed.
“We want to ask forgiveness [from] the poor that have been neglected, to the hungry and thirsty that we did not see or hear, to the women who have been degraded and dehumanized, to children who did not experience caring, [and] to the youth who did not find communities where they can belong,” he said.
Tagle said forgiveness is “a gift from God” that becomes a universal mission. The essence of forgiveness becomes stronger if it is given to enemies because “no one is exempted from love.” Mission workers of dioceses and parishes will be more effective if love started among themselves, he added.
“We are being sent, but stay with one another. Those of you who will be working in the dioceses and parishes, love one another. Be a real brother to each other. In your love, people will see the Word of God in the flesh.”
Tagle said disciples of God are called to become his “lambs,” humble and vulnerable.
“We are sent as humble and servants of the Kingdom and its message. We are not sent in order to prove something to God all by ourselves. We are there simply to share the riches that we have heard, seen and touched,” he said.
I.P.A.D. for the youth
Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona urged the youth to use “I.P.A.D.” in understanding the Gospel to become “young martyrs” who can influence their peers.
“[Letter] I stands for Interiority. Cherish your interior life. There is a need for the youth to lift up only their hearts to God,” Tirona said. “[Letter] P stands for Prayer … [the] youth must be the ‘young people of prayer’ who can affirm relationship with God,”
“[Letter] A is action for service and D is determination. Be determined. Be strong in persevering in faith,” he added.
Despite the language barrier, international delegates from Brunei, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and the United States showed their enthusiasm during the conference organized by the Archdiocese of Manila and hosted by UST.
Giovanni Pang, a delegate from Hong Kong, said the PCNE encouraged him to served as an example when he goes back to his diocese.
“I am a radio jock in Hong Kong. My listeners are particularly the youth. The PCNE enlightened me [so I thought] why not have segments for faith-sharing for the youth. I promise to share the fun, the spirit and the love that God gave me through the Filipino faithful,” Pang told the Varsitarian.
Pang said the Diocese of Hong Kong can learn from the Philippine Church, considering that the Philippines is more experienced than Hong Kong when it comes to evangelization.
Visible Church
True to its mission of evangelization, various renowned speakers from different Church- affiliated organizations and media organizations shared their sentiments on the modern Church.
DZBB and GMA 7 broadcaster Mike Enriquez challenged the Catholic Church to become “more visible.”
“It would be an effort to be visible. To be visible [entails] to be a listening and understanding Church,” Enriquez said.
Mike Lagarse, a youth leader, emphasized the role of Church leaders, especially priests to become “fathers to the young people.”
“Most of the youth who serve in churches come from broken families. Many of the parents of youth leaders are abroad so they are longing for love. The organization or the laity becomes the mothers of the young people,” Lagarse said. “If each one of us would create a way to become the hope of the world, the Church would be alive,” he added.
ABS-CBN broadcaster and Bantay-Banta 163 program director Tina Monzon-Palma said parents should learn to listen to their children’s needs and not assume knowledge of what they really want.
