Three hundred people from Metro Manila, who will come from the poorest of the poor, will have the opportunity to attend the “Meeting with the Families” with Pope Francis at the Mall of Asia Arena on Jan. 16, 2015.
Caritas Manila, the social action arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, has been tasked to select the 300 people.
Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila and president of Church-run Radio Veritas, said priority will be given “to the poorest of the poor” in their selection of families who will attend the gathering. One hundred pre-selected families from each of the 86 archdioceses and dioceses across the country will attend the Meeting with the Families.
“Caritas Manila will be in-charge of selecting the 300 individuals coming from urban poor families in Metro Manila to be part of the meeting with Pope Francis at SM MoA to highlight the theme for the papal visit – ‘Mercy and Compassion,’” said Fr. Pascual.
NOT YET DECLARED AS HOLIDAYS
As preparations for the Papal Visit speed up, Malacanang has no decision yet whether to declare non-working holidays during Pope’s visit from Jan. 15 to 19, 2015.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that the proposal is being studied by the Palace noting how it would help ensure a smooth flow of traffic for the Papal motorcade.
Metro Manila mayors earlier asked President Aquino to declare Jan. 15 to 19 as non-working holidays due to the expected traffic congestion caused by an influx of pilgrims from all over the country coming to Manila to see the Pope.
Coloma said that the Palace wants to ensure that Filipinos have the opportunity to witness the visit of the Roman Catholic leader even from their own homes through mass media.
“Dahil dito, pinag-aaralan ‘yung panukala na nabanggit po ninyo hinggil sa pagdeklara ng mga non-working holiday at isinasaalang-alang ang suhestiyong ito (This is why we are studying the proposal to declare non-working holidays’ during the Pope’s visit),” Coloma said over government radio dzRB yesterday.
MEETING WITH FAMILIES
Meanwhile, Fr. Dennis Soriano, head of the liturgy event of the Meeting with Families said, the program of the Liturgy of the Word during the gathering is as follows: Bishop Gabriel Reyes, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Family and Life and a pre-selected family will welcome Pope Francis upon his arrival.
This will be followed by the testimonies of three pre-selected families.
The pontiff will then read the Holy Gospel and give his reflections, followed by the prayers of the faithful, and finally, the blessing of all the attendees of the Meeting with Families.
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