"St. John Paul II, We Love You!" - A look back and a tribute
 |
| St. John Paul II in a Papal Mass in Manila |
Now, we will look back in our history, specifically his visits in the Philippines and his tremendous effect that gave a lasting impact to our nation as we commemorate the centenary of his birth and what will be our take away from his this piece of history in our church and our nation.
 |
| St. John Paul II, then Cardinal Wojtyla offering Mass at Baclaran Shrine |
Our story with the Polish Pontiff began in 1976 when he visited our country then as Kraków Archbishop Karol Cardinal Wojtyla. A Swedish journalist, who had known the Pope when he was still assigned to the Roman news beat, shared that knowing he would not be here for long, took the first cab he saw at the airport and asked the driver to the take him to the nearest church.
The nearest church happened to be that of Baclaran shrine, where he celebrated mass, thanks to the Redemptorist fathers. He was impressed by the devotion of the Filipinos to the Blessed Mother, as Our Mother Perpetual Help, from the large attendance of devotees and who continue to flock the Shrine even in the late hours of the night until the wee hours in the morning. In his return in 1981 as a Pope, he was greeted this time with millions of devotees and reminded them to continue their devotion to Mary and stressed the importance of Social justice.
 |
| Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila and St. John Paul II |
The Polish Pontiff returned to our country, now as a Pope, in 1981 and stayed from February 17 - 22, 1981. Ahead of the Pope’s visit on Feb. 17, 1981, then President Ferdinand Marcos declared that he had “lifted” martial law. There was even an planned attempt to his live but this was thwarted. The crowd numbering in the hundreds of thousands lined the streets from the airport to welcome one of history’s most beloved popes. Journalists would report that this enormous welcome to him was “the most rousing welcome ever given a visiting foreign dignitary that is yet unparalleled in the country’s history."
On this visit, Pope John Paul II’s first agenda was to celebrate Mass at Manila Cathedral, after which he expressed to Cardinal Sin his wish for Manila Cathedral to become a basilica, which it happened a few years later.
The Pope next visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran where he met with religious women, and the archbishop’s residence, Villa San Miguel, where he met with the Philippine Episcopate and Asian bishops.
 |
| The beatification of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions |
The Pope also addressed the poor in Tondo and later proceeded to Manila’s Rizal Park where he beatified Lorenzo Ruiz and other martyrs who were persecuted in Japan in the 17th century - the main purpose of his visit. It was the first beatification outside of Rome in history. After the beatification rites, he unveiled a bronze statue of then Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz as his "gift to the Filipino people" that still stands today. He would later canonize Lorenzo Ruiz and his companion martyrs in 1987 in Rome.
 |
| The original image of Sto. Niño de Cebu with St. John Paul II |
The following day, the Pope celebrated Mass for the community of Davao City before meeting with representatives of the Muslim community at the Davao airport. On the same day, he met with landowners and workers of sugarcane plantations in the reclaimed area of Bacolod City, as well as with representatives of Catholic organizations in the Cathedral of Jaro in Iloilo province.
 |
| The Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria de Jaro |
On Feb. 21, 1981, the Pope visited a refugee camp in Morong town, Bataan province, and met with Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian war refugees. He then met with a group of lepers in Tala at Radio Veritas in Manila. Over Radio Veritas, the Pope addressed the other Asian nations that have never had a pontifical visit, among them China, North Korea and Vietnam. His message was a prayer for peace in these nations’ quest for prosperity.
 |
| Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan and Nuestra Señora de Pena rancid de Naga with St. John Paul II |
Pope John Paul II’s last day in the Philippines on Feb. 22, 1981, began in Baguio City with a Mass for indigenous tribes after which farewell ceremonies were held at Manila International Airport.
 |
| The Retrun of St. John Paul II riding the now famous Pope Mobile |
The Pope visited the Philippines once again in January 1995 in time for the 10th World Youth Day. Some 3 million people lined the streets to welcome John Paul II, who arrived on Jan. 12, 1995. “The Filipino people are never far from my mind and heart,” the Pope said on his arrival in January 1995, when cheers of “Mabuhay” and “Viva il Papa” greeted him at the old Manila International Airport. The Polish-born Pontiff was then 74 years old. “Father, look at your children eagerly awaiting the Holy Father,” then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin said, gesturing toward the costumed schoolchildren who performed folk dances as the Pope’s plane taxied on the runway.
 |
| St. John Paul II at the University of Santo Tomas |
During this visit, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass to mark the fourth centenary of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Dioceses of Cebu, Caceres and Nueva Segovia at the Philippine International Convention Center grounds in Pasay City. In a private meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the Pope made the “strongest comments” defending the Catholic ban on artificial contraceptives. He also condemned the injustice in the country and noted the “increasing” gap between rich and poor. “When powerful interests promote policies which are against the moral law inscribed on the human heart, they offend the dignity of man who is made in the image and likeness of God,” the Pontiff said. “In doing so, they undermine the foundations of society itself.”
 |
| A special activity during World Youth Day 1995 at the Quirino Grandstand |
At past 10 in the morning, the Pope began the three-and-a-half-hour Mass that marked the closing of World Youth Day. Attended by 4 million people, it was the biggest gathering so far in the Pontiff’s 16-year reign. The Mass’ concelebrants included Sin, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Vatican Secretary of State Angelo Cardinal Sodano and Eduardo Cardinal Pironio, head of the Pontifical Council of the Laity. It was in this gathering that the song "Tell the World of His Love", the theme song of this visit, became popular and became a staple church song up to this day.
The following morning, the Pope left Manila for Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. In his farewell speech before some 10,000 people at the old Manila International Airport, the Pontiff said: “The Pope feels so well in the Philippines that he looks at another opportunity perhaps to return. I take with me a thousand images of the Filipino people.”
The Pilgrim Pope was supposed to return to the Philippines in 2003 for the Fourth World Meeting of Families yet his deteriorating health prevented this plan to happen yet the event went on with a live telecast from Rome expressing his admiration and love to our people.
His Death, Beatification and Canonization
On April 2, 2005, the Beloved Pilgrim Pope passed away because of complications due to Parkinson's disease. The world was shocked and mourned for his passing. The Filipinos were deeply affected when the news of his death was announced and news coverage of from his death up to his burial was heavily seen in all national media outlets and churches even held memorial masses in his honor.
A few days later after his passing, the Catholic faithful all over the world clamored for his beatification and canonization that on April 28, 2005, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI announced that the normal five-year waiting period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization would be waived for John Paul II. The cause was officially opened by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, on June 28 2005. He was beatified on May 1, 2011 by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and was later Canonized on April 27, 2014 by Pope Francis - both took place on Divine Mercy Sunday which he established in 2000 during the canonization of its visionary St. Faustina Kowalska.
The Legacy and impact of Pope St. John Paul II cannot be denied. Although Pope St. Paul VI began the tradition to Popes traveling overseas, it was during St. John Paul II's Pontificate that made this activity became a standard which echoes the message of Christ to go and preach to the Gospel to the world. The results was a success, he became reachable to the faithful that the Filipinos appreciate which this act was almost impossible from the past centuries.
His attempt to personally reach the of Catholics of the world in their countries to speak to them from his heart, to sing and laugh with them, and always, always to invite them to follow Christ, who alone is the fullness of life and happiness. Through his magnanimous interactions with the people, Pope St. John Paul II changed the way people viewed the papacy and inspired numerous vocations to the priesthood and religious life. As a result, he became beloved by many, especially by the Filipino people and the effects can still be felt today as what was mentioned in the introduction.
Now that he is in the rank of the saints in heaven, let us now ask for his intercession for peace in our country and the world and to further strengthen our faith in the midst of division and confusion that we all face today.
St. John Paul II, we love you and pray for us!
References:
Antonio, Rafael, Medina, Mariel, "Pope John Paul II visits to PH" Philippine Daily Inquirer, Retrieved from https://globalnation.inquirer.net/102782/pope-john-paul-iis-visits-to-ph#ixzz6MjvST2kd on May 9, 2020.
Santos, Cora, "John Paul II, the Pope of All Nations", Word & Life Publications, Makati City, 1995.
Special credits to the owners of the photographs used for this blogpost.
+AM+DG+
amen
ReplyDelete