Message of Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales, D.D., Archbishop of Manila after the Mass for His Holiness John Paul II on April 6, 2005 at the Manila Cathedral at 9:00 a.m.
In the spirit of unity with Catholics all over the world, the Archdiocese of Manila salutes this exceptional man who in life understood grievance, hunger and the struggle to be free, to be one. We celebrate the life of this man who knew God and loved Him with Jesus Christ His Son, encouraging us to love God and to serve Him as image in our fellow humans. We acclaim this shepherd who serve the Church so faithfully and lived for us so endearingly. That when he departed from this world he left the people of different persuasion, the hope, that if only we desire as passionately as he did then, truth, harmony, brotherhood, love and peace are still attainable. Together we talk these as believers, we thank God for gifting the Church at its most appropriate time, the shepherding of this man. Deep in him as our guide and making him speak as the conscience of men.
Pope John Paul, a special father, a brother, a friend. Loved us, continue loving us from where you are with the Father. We thank you, we bless you and ask the Lord to love and bless you and may He grant you peace. Amen
We have a peaceful custom in the Philippines. When somebody leaves our home, we have what we call giving the person a pabaon. In our Philippine culture it’s called a “send-off gift.” But when he returns he brings a pasalubong which means a welcome or homecoming gift, our culture spirit. But if he does not return, we have what we call a padala, something sent. It’s part of the culture. Usually what we give the person is something he loves and he treasures. We will do that. In the name of all Philippines, we will treat the Holy Father to a pabaon. Something he loves because in our country kapag wala kang pabaon, wala kang pasalubong. Kapag wala kang pabaon, wala kang padala.
And you know what, from the roots of it we are dealing here with a saint. It’s everyone’s perception that the man was not just a shepherd. The man was not just a leader. This man maybe is a saint. If he is, its good to sent him off with a pabaon. If he becomes a saint, marami siyang padala.
We will give what he wants. You know that man, side by side with the Virgin Mary, he is totally Marian. The world does not talk of it so well, the television had not told this yet just as devotion, but he is totally Marian. And he took that motto, Totus Tuus, in Latin, totally yours. It was not his originally. Totus Tuus is imbedded in the Theology of the Fiat in Luke 1. Theology of the Fiat, when angel the explained to Mary that “you’re going to be the Mother of the Son of God.” Mary completely surrendered. Totaliter to a fiat, that the meaning of it. Freedom means the act of Mary.
Then there was a saint ahead of him, John Paul, who took the Theology of the Fiat and root in devotion. The name of the saint is Saint Marie Louie de Monfort, a French princess. And girls who are in this cathedral could remember, that the Legion of Mary, the spirituality of the Monfort, when you renew your commitment to serve your ultimate and you make the pronouncement “I am kind, my queen, my mother and my whole desire.” “Totally yours” that is the meaning of Totus Tuus. John Paul took that. Deep devotion and deeper theology.
We’ll give him what he likes as our pabaon. I ask you to stand please, everybody stand. Our first gift to him is something he likes. We recite the Hail Mary for him.
Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you,
blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God Pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
And before we give him the second gift, also, Marian, you may not be aware that when the Holy Father was shot 1981, the 13 th of May, that was the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima. The first apparition of our Blessed Mother, when you’re shot at St. Peter’s square. You know what, you go to Fatima, the statue and you’ll see at the top of that crown. Not a jewel but the bullet that stuck the body of John Paul II was hanging there inside the crown. Not this one. The man is a “totaliter, Maria”, totally man, totally God’s.
Our second gift is our song for our Blessed Mother which everybody loves, Immaculate Mother.
Immaculate Mother we come at thy call.
And thou at thy altar before thee we for.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.
In grief and temptation
In joy and in pain.
We seek thee our Mother
Nor seek thee in pain.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.
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