Prayers, confession kick off preparations for pope’s arrival

Starting today, parishes in the Archdiocese of Palo will observe a Triduum or a three-day Masses leading to the arrival of Pope Francis.

Catechism or lectures as well as confession for the pilgrims will also be held in the archdiocese.

“The catechism will talk about the Catholic Church and the Pope. We want to make sure that people will receive the Holy Father’s message in coming to Tacloban and Palo,” said Fr. Chris Arthur Militante, information and communications officer of the Archdiocese of Palo.

“We should come not just to have picture-taking with the Pope. We should consider this as a pilgrimage or a prayerful journey,” he added.

Open air Mass
Catechism modules were earlier distributed to all 78 parishes in the archdiocese at the start of the Advent season last Nov. 30.

During the Misa de Gallo or the nine dawn Masses leading up to Christmas, priests in the Palo Archdiocese were also given homily guides, urging the people to prepare themselves spiritually for the coming of Pope Francis to Leyte on Jan. 17.

Members of the curia of the Archdiocese of Palo called on the parishioners “to make little sacrifices” and to pray for the success of the papal visit.

“The theme for Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines is “Mercy and Compassion”.

His visit is an expression of God’s mercy and compassion to his people,” Militante said.

Pope Francis will preside over an open air Mass at the Tacloban City airport at 10 a.m. on Jan. 17.

He will proceed to the Archbishop’s Residence in Palo town, Leyte where he will have lunch with 30 victims of supertyphoon Yolanda and the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in 2013. The Holy Father will also bless the Pope Francis Center for the Poor and will go to the Palo Cathedral to address the clergy and the faithful.

Before he heads back to Manila, he will pray over the mass grave where a hundred victims of Yolanda were buried.