Papal
visit media relations sub-committee chair Fr. Anton Pascual speaks to the media
during a press briefing earlier today at the Arzobispado in Intramuros, Manila,
Nov. 20, 2014. (Photo: Roy Lagarde)
MANILA, Nov. 20, 2014— The Vatican
urged the Philippines to minimize papal visit expenditures and devote more
resources to help victims of recent calamities.
Speaking at a
press briefing Thursday, papal visit media relations sub-committee chair Fr.
Anton Pascual said the Vatican wants a simple papal visit to create savings for
the rehabilitation of areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda and other disasters.
“The call of
the Vatican that this visit not be costly is important because the desire of
the Holy Father is that donations be given instead to the victims of
calamities. That is the primary purpose of his visit,” Pascual said in
Filipino.
Pope Francis
earlier said he wants his visit to the Philippines on January 15 to 19 next
year to be “pastoral and simple.”
“He wants that
whatever graces received in terms of donations be given instead to victims of
calamities, especially with the ongoing rehabilitation for Yolanda victims and
survivors of the earthquake in Bohol,” Pascual added.
But the priest
said the Church is still open to donations to defray the expenses for the papal
visit.
“For those who
would like to help, individuals and institutions, the Church is accepting
donations,” he said.
He said
donations may be coursed through Quiapo Church rector Msgr. Clemente Ignacio
and Palo Archbishop John Du in Leyte. Both are part of the papal visit finance
committee.
Fr. Marvin
Mejia, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines, said though there are many aspects of the papal visit that require
funding, “it still should not be a fund raising event.”
“The bishops
are donating from their own pockets and from their own personal account and not
from their dioceses because there’s no fundraising in the dioceses,” Mejia
said.
Since the
Pope’s coming to the country is also a state visit, he said all aspects of the
papal visit are being planned in partnership with the government.
“We are on time with the preparations.
We have a timeline and everything is in place,” he added. (CBCPNews)
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