CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Jan 12, (PNA) – A total of 212 people from this seaport capital will join an official entourage in Manila during the visit of Pope Francis on Jan. 15, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese here said on Monday.
Sweet Kristine Ace Adorio, secretary general of the Archdiocese of Cagayan De Oro City, said that Archbishop Antonio Ledesma would lead 26 priests, 75 youth leaders, 10 sisters, 100 families and Percival Arado, a survivor of typhoon “Sendong” in 2011, in the entourage.
Adorio said that Arado was the personal choice of Archbishop Ledesma because of Arado’s heroic stint in saving the lives of neighbors and children at the height ofTyphoon Sendong that killed more than 600 people in Cagayan De Oro City alone.
She said that except for Arado, the other delegates would defray their own travel expenses.
Adorio, once a delegate during the World Youth Day in 2005, also said that the youth leaders raised funds for their travel expenses by holding caroling during Christmas.
She said that the youth delegates here already held a Papal Visit Preparatory Session last Saturday to familiarize safety and as a “pilgrims” during the “Youth Encounter” with the Pope on Jan. 18 at the University of Santo Tomas.
The delegates, clad in “green T-shirts,” as a color code for the Archdiocese, with a neckerchief with “CDO Loves Pope Francis” printed on it , leave Cagayan De Oro City on Tuesday, Adorio said.
She said that about 7 million Roman Catholics in the Philippines are expected to welcome Pope Francis. (PNA)
At that time when Pope Francis visited Philippines, Filipinos were so glad that He spent days staying even though the weather is bad. Thank you to Archbishop Antonio Ledesma for leading the officials that time. I hope that it helps them understand what really the message of the Pope to the country and the citizens.