TrulyGrace

Pope Francis Encounter with Philippine Youth at Sto. Tomas University

Mom, Dad, and I just finished watching Pope Francis's Encounter with Philippine Youth at Mom and Dad's alma mater, Santo Tomas University in Manila on EWTN.  He heard individual children and young adults give testimonials, including a 14-year-old boy who was a former street child, and his 12-year-old female counterpart, who wept whilst presenting her story, interrupting and truncating her delivery. 


Pope Francis then responded with questions for each of the students/ young adults with several succinct ideas:  "Learn how to cry," then, motioning to his head, heart, and hands:  "One must think, feel, and do."  He prompted those present to repeat after him, how we can help the poor.  Finally, he said, in helping the poor, we must also be able to receive their evangelization for us---to not just give, but to receive.  He concluded that he had prepared words before coming to meet them in Manila, but that he felt that the "reality" of the moment was more important to address.  There were petitions read by youth from various regions/ dialects of the Philippines.


The weather chose to cooperate a tad more than during the Mass in Tacloban a couple days ago, where there were winds and rain that knocked down scaffolding, killing a young lady volunteer from Catholic Relief Services.  The Pope started his Encounter with a silent prayer for Cristal, the young woman who had died.  Today the Mass showed individuals with various-color rain ponchos, or towels or cloths over their heads.  One woman was spotted with a white Frisbee atop her head. 

posted by Grace @ 1/17/2015 11:03:00 PM