Tagle: Your resilience inspires the world community

MANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle celebrates Mass for the Diamond Jubilee closing ceremony at the roofless and devastated 1-year-old Palo Metropolitan Cathedral in Leyte province. GUIJO DUENAS/INQUIRER VISAYAS

TACLOBAN CITY—Amid the massive devastation caused by Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” Leyteños showed remarkable resilience with their faith intact.

Thus said Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle in his homily on Thursday at a Mass he officiated at 9:45 a.m. at Palo Metropolitan Cathedral in Palo town, Leyte province, that overflowed with the faithful beyond its 500 capacity.

Tagle was invited as the main celebrant of the Mass commemorating the 75th year of the Palo diocese. It became an archdiocese in 1982.

He was joined by Palo Archbishop John Du and 50 other priests. The cathedral had suffered major damage, with its ceilings blown away by the strong winds brought by Yolanda on Nov. 8.

Monsignor Ramon Aguilos, former media spokesperson of the archdiocese, quoted Tagle as saying that the massive destruction caused by Yolanda in Tacloban and Leyte did not make the faithful waver but rather made them cling to their faith all the more.

“The eyes of the world and the universal Church are on you, people of Tacloban and Leyte. Instead of me consoling you, it’s you who are consoling me. Your resilience, your steadfast, deep-seated vow inspire the world community and the universal Church,” Tagle said in his homily, as quoted by Aguilos.

Tagle also urged the faithful to not be afraid to ask God why they were suffering due to Yolanda. He said that like a child, they had the right to ask this question from their parent.

“This is an opportunity for God to listen to His people,” Tagle said.

After the Mass, Tagle visited the archbishop’s palace, also in Palo, that was destroyed by Yolanda, said to be the world’s strongest typhoon this year.

Aguilos said Tagle’s message was both morale boosting and spiritually uplifting.

Du also rallied the faithful, urging them not to lose faith in God. Du said that despite the suffering they are experiencing at present, “we are not hopeless.”