MANILA, (PNA) — Pope Francis will be addressing the attendees of the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE) to be held at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on October 16-18, 2013.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said the Holy Father will deliver his message at the closing Mass of the event on October 18.
However, the cardinal said he will get confirmation this week if the pontiff will deliver his message via live stream direct from the Vatican or recorded.
“The Holy Father, who will send a message — that’s a sign that they’re really interested,” Tagle said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website.
Earlier, the Archbishop of Manila said that the Vatican will be watching the Philippines as the country will be the host of the conference.
“The eyes of the Vatican are on us, not to police but to see what happens in the PCNE,” he said in an earlier statement.
He added that Vatican Office of the New Evangelization and the Synod of Bishops is aware of the conference is happening and is eager to know what the Philippine Church can contribute to the experience and clarification of the new evangelization.
“Rome is interested in how a church in Asia like the Philippines would approach this whole concern about the New Evangelization and I think they are also interested in what the churches in Asia could contribute to the universal church for these new approaches, new methods in evangelizing… it’s a very positive way of watching…” Tagle said.
The PCNE will feature in its three-day program, hundreds of simultaneous talks involving speakers and facilitators who are experts in various Church topics and concerns.
Expected to attend the conference are participants from Asia including all the priests and bishop of Brunei and delegates from Taiwan, Vietnam and Myanmar.
“The Holy Father will be seen on the closing Mass to address the assembly… other church leaders from Asia will be coming. At the moment there are six bishops from different parts of Asia who signified their attendance, some priests and also lay people. Hindi lang ito unity in the Philippines but also unity in Asia,” he said.