Davao bishop recalls love of Pope John Paul II for Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - As Filipinos will observe the third death anniversary of Pope John Paul II on Thursday, a Davao bishop recalled on Wednesday the love and concern of the late pontiff for Mindanao, especially in the Davao, Digos, Tagum and Mati (DADITAMA) ecclesiastical region. Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable said the late pope has a special place in the hearts of the people in DADITAMA because he is so far the only Pope to visit the area, particularly Davao City. "We marveled with his (John Paul II) presence," Afable recalled in a statement posted Wednesday on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website. John Paul II visited Davao City on Feb. 20, 1981. For a few hours, the pope was with his flock in Mindanao. Afable narrated that due to security considerations at that time, John Paul II met the people from all over Mindanao only at the airstrip of the Davao Airport where he celebrated mass. "We remember how he recalled and proposed in his homily as the rule of life within our ecclesial communities, the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, Make me a channel of your peace," said Afable. He said the late pope recalled with the non-Christians the natural fraternity among Christians and Muslims because they belong to one family and brothers in almighty God. John Paul II stressed that cooperation and peace between Muslims and Christians is an imperative of the one God whom both religions have consider as most merciful. "At that grace-filled day, he too gave special attention to the non-Christians in Mindanao by meeting with the representatives of the Muslim communities at the airport terminal," he added. Each year, the parish of St. Joseph in Sasa in cooperation with the Davao airport management would commemorate that day with a simple mass right there where it all happened. A memorial church was also built to commemorate the event of JPII's visitation and that was San Pablo Church in Matina. It was also John Paul II who erected the two new dioceses of Digos in 1980 and Mati in 1984 thereby increasing the Metropolitan province of Davao to four dioceses. "He was indeed a servant of God. This is what we in the Church call him now, while the process of his beatification continues," Afable said. - GMANews.TV