Oro archdiocese delegates head over to papal visit

CAGAYAN DE ORO – Around a hundred delegates from Cagayan de Oro traveled to Manila yesterday for the five-day apostolic visit of Pope Francis on January 15 until 19.

The delegates include diocesan priests from the different churches in the city, five nuns, Sendong survivors, lay people, and selected youths.

“I am looking forward with hopeful confidence that the Pope’s visit will bring about peace, harmony, and more blessings to the Filipino people,” Fr. Jose Alan Pulgo, parish priest of Nazareno Church, said in a text message sent to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro on Tuesday.

‘Prayer mode’

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, S.J., D.D, archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, said there will be no further activities to be held in the diocese vis-à-vis the Holy Visit, but he said that all the regular masses will include intentions for the Pope.

“We are right now in prayer until the end of the month for the safety of the Pope and all the days that he is here with us in the Philippines. We are also sending delegations to his visit.”

The archdiocese is now in prayer mode and no major activities will be done in the city for the visit of the Pope which is focused in his visit in Manila and in Tacloban, said Monsignor Perseus Cabunoc, SSJV.

‘Mercy and compassion’

This year’s theme for the papal visit is mercy and compassion in solidarity with the victims of the recent calamities in the country.

Fr. Cabunoc believes the tragedies in the city are not just all disasters but also crimes, ambush, bombings, and other terror activities.

“Unta maka reflect ang mga tao labi na katung ga mugna sa mga terroristic activities. Makamata unta sila ug ma neutralize na ang mga trahedya sa kalibutan para hapsay nga reyalidad matuman na. Kita raman pud ang gabuhat sa kalinaw maong dapat mainampuon gayud kita kanunay,” Fr. Cabunoc said.

Cabunoc hopes that with mercy and compassion everybody can achieve peace and unity regardless of religion. (Roshelle Novie L. Cabrido, MUST intern/Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)