ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Karol Wojtyla, a personal reflection by Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila

Monday, 4 April 2005

Manila (Fides Service) - Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop emeritus of Manila, sent this message to Fides on the occasion of the death of Pope John Paul II: “The Church has lost a Father and a Shepherd and I have also lost a brother and a good friend. I will never forget the Conclave in 1978, when we elected the Supreme Pontiff. We were staying at the same place, as the youngest of the cardinals, and we became the best of friends. During the dark years of the dictatorship John Paul II always encouraged us to promote justice and respect for human dignity of every person. Later when he defended the position taken by the Bishops of the Philippines, he told me that the peaceful Rosary Revolution which we as bishops supported, was part of the mission of the Church he underlined that it was our duty to pursue freedom and promote justice, protect the poor and the oppressed. Every time we met he used to tell me of his great love for the people of the Philippines and he demonstrated it. He came to our country twice and canonised our first saint, Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila and beatified our first Blessed Pietro Calungsod. He was truly our father and we his sons and daughters”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 4/4/2005 righe 19 parole 195)


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