The Deacon's Bench
Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza, Pope Francis’ representative at the United Nations, was the guest of honor Nov. 6 at the weekly gathering of Filipino-American Catholics at St. Kilian Church here. The Vatican nuncio, a native of Talibon, Philippines, presided at an evening Mass that attracted more than 300 worshippers.
The event was sponsored by the St. Kilian-based, New York metropolitan-area chapter of BLD, a Catholic charismatic ministry founded in Manila, Philippines, in 1985 that has spread to many countries around the world. BLD is an acronym for the Tagalog-language phrase “Bukas Loob Sa Diyos,” which means “Open in Spirit to God.”
During his homily, Archbishop Auza referenced Pope Francis’ September visit to Cuba and the United States, saying the overall theme of the pope’s trip was “the importance of family.”
“At the White House, (Pope Francis) told President Obama that he came to support the family,” said Archbishop Auza, permanent observer of the Holy See to the U.N. since July 2014.
The main purpose of the pontiff’s visit to the U.S. was to participate in the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.
“Our society needed to be reminded of the beauty and usefulness of the family for society and for future generations,” said Archbishop Auza, later adding, “The family is the answer to the challenges of the world.”
Photo & Story: Gregory A. Shemitz
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