austraLasia
1454
Philippines tragedy
in Diocese administered by Bishop Precioso Cantillas
SDB
MAASIN: 18th February 2006 --
The village of Guinsaugon, on the island of Leyte in the south central
Philippines, belongs to Maasin Diocese which Salesian Bishop Precioso Cantillas
has been bishop of now since 1997. Further details of the tragedy can be
easily picked up through the media generally, but anything up to 1,500 people or
more, including an entire school population, may eventually be lost under an
entire mountainside of mud and rocks which has obliterated the village.
The Bishop had only recently, just before the disaster, returned from
celebrations of the centenary of the China Province.
The
Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has written to Bishop Cantillas in the following
words: "...the Holy Father offers fervent prayers for those who have died and he
invokes divine consolation upon those who mourn. He prays that the relief
effort will be swift and generous in its response to the disaster and asks the
Lord to grant courage and strength to all involved in the task of caring for
those who have lost their homes. Entrusting you and your people to the
protection of Mary, Comfort of the Afflicted, he cordially imparts his Apostolic
Blessing...etc". The message was sent by Cardinal Sodano in the Pope's
name as is usual in these circumstances.
In 1991, Leyte
province was the scene of one of the worst disasters in the history of the
Philippines. More than 5,000 people died as the result of a typhoon and
the ensuing flooding.
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