Philippine Church leaders launch book about papal visit
Tome documents the stirring visit by Pope Francis earlier this year.
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"It is an attempt, maybe a weak attempt" to capture and preserve the experience of Filipinos during the pope's visit, said Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.
He said it is "impossible to document the impact of Pope Francis on the Filipino people".
The 160-page coffee table book titled I am here — to be with you documents the pope's visit to the country from January 15 to 19 this year.
Villegas said the book is the "second best documentation" of the pope's visit because the experience of the Filipino people "remains the best reminder".
The prelate urged Filipinos to "open our hearts" to the pope's message of "humility, humanity and his humor".
"Please keep in mind that, better than the book, you are the best documentation of the papal visit," said Villegas.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, said he hopes the book will remind Filipinos of their "mission" to keep the teachings of Pope Francis alive.
"Hopefully, through this book, our hearts will be stirred again, our hearts will be disturbed, our hearts will start again and again to return to the Word of God, whom the Holy Father tried to witness through us," said Tagle.
The book contains photographs and the speeches of the pope during his apostolic visit. It also includes a personal narrative of Tagle who shared his thoughts and insights "as a priest, as shepherd of a flock, and as a companion" to the pope while in the Philippines.
Villegas said copies of the book would be sent to Pope Francis to show the Filipino people's appreciation of the pontiff's visit.
"We want to share with him our feelings of pride, gratitude that he came amongst us and we saw Jesus in him. His visit was a visit of Jesus to the Philippines," Villegas said.
Source: ucanews.com
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