MANILA – Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Filipinos for praying for Pope Francis during his hospitalization in the past months until his death on Monday.
In his message at the conclusion of the Requiem Mass for the Holy Father that he concelebrated with Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula at the Manila Cathedral, the Vatican’s envoy acknowledged the support of Filipino faithful during the days the pontiff was in the hospital.
“Also, I want to thank all of you, the Filipino people, for the prayers for our Holy Father especially these last two months. In all the Masses that I have been celebrating all over the Philippines, especially [in] Manila, these past two months, I have been asking you to pray for him and you responded with great generosity and with great love for you Lolo Kiko,” Brown said.
“And you have been praying for him and he recovered from a very, very serious incident in about last two months ago when he was very close to death. He was able to go back to Vatican City and then even just two days ago, on Easter Sunday, he was able to be present with the people in St. Peter’s Square. I think that was the effect of all the prayers that were offered all over the world for the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Especially here in the Philippines, by you his beloved Filipino people.”
He also thanked Advincula for inviting him to join in the Eucharistic Celebration.
“In this time of sorrow and sadness I want to thank sincerely His Eminence Jose Cardinal Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, for having invited me to join him and all of you this morning for this Mass in memory and gratitude for the life of Pope Francis,” Brown said.
“I thank His Eminence for the beautiful homily which he delivered, which expressed so wonderfully the sentiments in all of our hearts this morning as we mourn of the loss of our Holy Father,” he added.
At the same time, the Vatican official asked Filipinos to continue praying for the soul of Pope Francis.
The Argentine pontiff, whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away due to a stroke and irreversible heart failure at the age of 88.
During his visit to the country in 2015, the Pope also celebrated a Mass in Tacloban City, which was severely devastated by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013. (PNA)
