UST ‘blessed’ by Pope for third time

Video by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Once again, the pontifical University of Santo Tomas was personally blessed by the father of the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic Church.

Pope Francis’ visit proved to be worth the wait of almost 250,000 people who patiently lined up for hours at the gates of UST in Sampaloc, Manila, just to get a glimpse of the charismatic Pontiff.

The Pope’s visit adds to the rich history of Asia’s oldest university, where two pontiffs made state visits: Pope Blessed Paul VI in 1970 and Pope St. John Paul II in 1981 and 1995.

Under the overcast sky that hovered over Manila, the Pope, on board his popemobile, entered the main gate of the oldest university in Asia where leaders of different religions waited for him at the Arch of the Centuries.

After the meeting that lasted about only 10 minutes, the Pope went back to his open-top vehicle for an open motorcade inside the university, circling the monumental Main Building.

Pope Francis toured Benavides Park, popularly called in UST as Lovers’ Lane, where he kissed and blessed a baby and three young girls.

The Pope then passed through the quadrants separated by steel barricades to have a closer encounter with several youth sector representatives.

As Pope Francis tirelessly waved to the crowd, the people chanted loudly “Pope Francis, we love you!” in turn.

The crowd, neatly organized based on their color-coded shirts, went multicolored when everyone wore their raincoats as the drizzle started to turn into light rain.

Not minding the rain, Francis went up the stage and was welcomed by Catholic bishops and dozens of clergymen, including Bangued Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Youth.

Afterwards, Jun Chura, an out-of-school youth, opened the sharing and told the Pope of his life in the streets where most children are being exploited, exposed to drugs, pornography and criminal activities.

Twelve-year-old Glaiza Soliman followed Chura’s testimony. Although she was not in the original lineup of sharers, she left the most significant mark on the Pope.

Glaiza asked the Pope, why are children dragged into the use of drugs and prostitution? Before she could even finish her question, she broke into tears. She came to the Pope, who comforted her with a hug.

UST law student Leandro Santos II and Rikki Macolor, a Thomasian engineering alumnus, raised issues the youth of this generation commonly faced.

As the person in charge of the papal visit in UST, Office of Public Affairs director Giovanna Fontanilla said among all the visits in the campus, this year was the “most meaningful and grace-filled.”

Queue chaos

Despite tensions that broke out between the security and thousands of people who wanted to be part of the historical event, the associate professor said the visit was a blessing to UST and its community.

“There had been a miscommunication. The general public were not properly informed about the gates designated for them and the correct time of the opening of gates,” Supt. Mannan Muarip, Sampaloc police station commander, told reporters.

When asked to comment on the reported queue chaos outside UST, Fontanilla said: “At times, there are also challenges when you organize event. But I would say that as a whole, it was again a blessing for all of us who were with the Holy Father Francis for the venerable event.”

But Muarip said the event was, nevertheless, generally peaceful. “Not only inside the UST but also outside the campus,” he added.

No casualties were recorded during the Pope’s visit in UST aside from minor cases such as difficulty in breathing, dizziness and other health-related concerns.

“We have to go back to the message of the Holy Father to the Filipino youth,” Fontanilla said. “Try to reflect on it and make our lives even more merciful and compassionate.”