Filipino family and priest to welcome Pope Francis at MOA event on Jan 16, 2015

Pope Francis. Photo by Paul Haring / Catholic News Service via Twitter

MANILA — A Catholic bishop and a Filipino family are among those who will welcome Pope Francis at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena event in Pasay City on Jan. 16, 2015.

Rev. Fr. Dennis Soriano, “Liturgist in Charge in MOA for the pontiff’s meeting with families event, said that they are still deliberating on who will be the three families that will have an encounter with the Holy Father.

“We have ideas, (on who the families will be), but what is important are the topics which are poverty, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and People with Disabilities (PWDs). We think somehow it will reflect the general experience and we think that will somehow can give the Pope an overview of the experience of the Filipino family,” he said during an interview after the Papal Visit weekly briefing in Manila on Friday.

Antipolo Bishop Gabriel Reyes, who is also the chairman of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (CBCP-ECFL), together with the family of Boots Anson Roa, will welcome His Holiness.

Soriano said that during the encounter, the families would share their experience to the Pope and the Holy Father would respond to them.

“Makikinig sa family yung tatlong they represent the family and then dun sa kaniyang reflection he (Pope Francis) will respond to the experience of the family,” he added.

Soriano said that the Roa’s represent a big family, “’Yung kina Boots Anson Roa ang idea is a big family parang big family welcoming the Pope kaya medyo malaki pero limited na rin hanggang children.”

The priest said that they were planning that the talk of the family on poverty will be in Tagalog, local dialect; the OFWs topic in English, and the topic on PWDs, in sign language, it will have a voice interpreter.

On the other hand, Rev. Msgr. Esteban Lo, member, Steering Committee for the Papal Visit Person-in-Charge of the event, said that the delegates in MOA were divided into groups, from different dioceses and archdioceses throughout the country.

“We have delegates from the church…we have delegates from the urban poor, throughout Metro Manila,” he said.

The venue will be open at 11 a.m., and the event will start at 1 p.m. with songs, prayers, dances. The Pope is expected to arrive at the venue at 5:30 p.m.

“Walang Mass sa MOA. We would celebrate the liturgy of the word. When the pope arrives he would welcomed by Bishop Gabby Reyes and a family will be welcomed by the Pope. There would be testimonies with families and sharing experiences and experiences of faith. Reading of holy gospel and reflection from words of the Holy Father. Followed by prayers of the faithful and blessing of all families present,” he said.