MANILA, Philippines—The priest caught in a social media firestorm for supposedly turning the papal Mass in Luneta Park into a variety show said on Wednesday that he is channeling Pope Francis’ compassion in forgiving his bashers.
Fr. Hans Magdurulang, the host before and after the papal Mass in Luneta which saw a record 6 million attendees, recalled in a televised interview how Pope Francis showed concern to him as the host of the event.
“He came toward me and gestured, ‘yung lalamunan mo,’ and he was smiling,” Magdurulang said in an interview on “Headstart on ANC.”
“Maybe I am not angered (by bashers) because I remember the compassion shown by the Pope to me,” he said.
Magdurulang also narrated how he cried upon seeing the hurtful comments hurled against him by Twitter users.
“I tried to see the comments. I reflected. In prayer, I cried. I asked myself, ‘What have I done wrong?’” he recalled.
Despite being the victim of social media uproar, Magdurulang said that he is apologizing to attendees who were offended by his hosting.
“To those who felt offended and felt that I violated the sanctity of the Mass, with all my heart and humility, I’m so sorry po,” the priest said.
Magdurulang was criticized for leading the attendees in cheering and waving for Pope Francis, viewed by many as “disrespectful” and “inappropriate” for the solemn event.
Magdurulang’s hosting stint spawned a parody Twitter account @LunetaEmcee which posted his chants before and after the Mass. The account is now being followed by almost a thousand users.
RELATED STORIES
No compassion, mercy for Luneta’s circus-like ‘barker’
6-7M attend Pope’s Mass at Luneta