Pope receives new Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See

Its her first official day as Ambassador of the Philippines to the Holy See. Ambassador Mercedes Arrastia-Tuason. presented Pope Benedict XVI her credentials.
Meanwhile, thousand of miles away, her homeland is bracing for super typhoon Parma.

This after Typhoon Ketsana swept south east Asia last month, which lead to the worst flooding in the country in 40 years killing more than 250 people in the Philippines alone.

The Pope assured the ambassador of his spiritual closeness and prayers to the victims of Typhoon Ketsana.

Another issue facing the country is the conflict between Muslims and Christians in the south.

The ambassador of the third largest Catholic Nation, assured the Pope the peace process is gaining momentum and hopes to provide non-violent diplomatic channels of communication.
The Pope says he supports the governments plans to make peace prevail.

Both believe the Pilipino peoples faith is strong enough to get them out of any difficult situation.
MC

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[loveroftruth7]

I am not a Roman Catholic, but I love Pope Benedict!

[jasper561996]

Kaya tayong mga Pinoy, ipagpatuloy natin ang pagdadasal! Wag po natin kalimutan ang Diyos . . .

[urlady21]

@studentquestor another mistake we make while doing the Sign of the Cross is the places where we place our fingers. When we say "In the name of the Father", our fingers must be at our forehead (i forgot the significance); when we say "And of the Son", our fingers must be at our stomach (to signify that Jesus, the Son, was conceived from Mama Mary); and when we say "And of the Holy Spirit", our fingers must cross from the right shoulder to the left (i also 4got the significance).

[urlady21]

@craventref no, that's not what i meant. i meant the timing of her appointment. as she became Ambassador to the Holy See, typhoon Ondoy hit the Philippines. the timing was not good. i didn't mean the ambassador having something to do with the typhoon. okay?

[craventref]

@urlady21 the new ambasador has nothing to do with natural disaster, if you can please stop every typhoon hitting our countries. it's sad you can't.

[urlady21]

she became the Philippines' ambassador to the Holy See while the Philippines was suffering from typhoons. how sad.

[urlady21]

@AssistantVPresident oh. now i know why Filipinos end the sign of the Cross that way. but now I don't end the sign of the Cross like that.

[urlady21]

@aaron1983 oo nga no... ahehehe.. at saka napansin ko rin na dapat "too-ah-zon" ang pag-pronounce pero ok na rin yun..

[AssistantVPresident]

@studentquestor Spanish friars during the time of the Philippine Colonization by Spain used to end the sign of the cross by kissing a crucifix hanging on their necks. People must've misinterpreted that by ending it with a touch on the chin. That would explain the unorthodox "CHIN" end. =]

[studentquestor]

@aaron1983 It's nice to see that. However, they should have done the Sign of the Cross WHILE the Pope is giving his blessing. The Sign should be simultaneous with the one blessing and the one/s being blessed. Also, I notice another mistake by us Filipinos: the way we make, and end, the Sign of the Cross. I ask you, what is the significance of the CHIN in the Sign of the Cross, in Jesus Christ and in our Catholic Faith? Sa Pilipinas lang ako nakakita nang ganyan.

[eraser695]

Philipino Rocks.... Catholic from Pakistan...