Friday Mar, 29 2024 11:05:22 PM

Archbishop Lamponand My heart is bleeding for my people in Jolo

Church • 13:08 PM Thu Jan 31, 2019
844
By: 
Edwin O. Fernandez and Ferdinandh Cabrera
Archbishop Angelito Lampon (left) and Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as they prepare for the Eucharistic celebration on Wednesday. (contributed photo)

COTABATO CITY – Archbishop Angelito Lampon of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate yesterday
assumed as the head of the archdiocese of Cotabato with mixed feelings as he
was battling an upheaval on one thing and celebrating a new assignment on
another.

Upheaval
because blood of Catholic faithful litter the cathedral he served for the past
21 years.

He was
installed by His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Papal Nuncio
to the Philippines as archbishop of Cotabato, replacing His Eminence Orlando
Cardinal Quevedo, OMI who has retired as head of Cotabato Church but remains a
cardinal for life.

I have a
heavy hear and this heart is bleeding for my people who perished in the Jolo
cathedral bombings, Archbishop Lampon said in a brief interview after his
installation Monday afternoon.

I have known
those regular church goers who died in the blast, he said. They have become
my family, my brothers and sisters, my heart is really bleeding for them.

It’s a big
emotional upheaval inside and yet my faith tells me, help to continue extending
a hand of friendship, in inter-religious dialogue, the new archbishop said,
his eyes slowly turning red.

Two bombs went
off last Sunday inside and outside the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as
Jolo Cathedral, that left 22 persons dead and more than 100 injured.

The 8 a.m.
mass was the schedule regularly taken by then bishop Lampon. It was always full
of church goers and last Sunday was no exemption although a diocesan priest
celebrated the Eucharist since the bishop was attending a Catholic Bishops
Conference (CBCP) meeting in Manila.

Still grieving
still for his former flock, the Jolo vicariate, Archbishop Lampon said the
Oblates and the Catholic Church were not cowed by the recent violence.

His
installation and canonical possession as archbishop of Cotabato was attended
by, aside from the Papal Nuncio and Cardinal Quevedo, about 30 bishops and
archbishops, more than 50 priests and religious.

Archbishop
Lampon made special acknowledgement to some parishioners of Jolo and Tawi-Tawi
who came over to witness his installation, including some of the Jolo cathedral
bombing survivors.

The Cotabato
cathedral was tightly guarded with six armored personnel carriers of the Army
positioned in front and sides of the cathedral. Roads leading to the venue were
shut down with elite Army personnel on guard.

Tight security
was imposed following the Jolo twin bombings.

Archbishop Caccia,
referring to the Jolo bombings perpetrators, saidand They may steal our life but
they cannot steal our love, our love for God and for ourselves for without love
we are dead Christians.

Cardinal
Quevedo, now archbishop emeritus, has bleeding heart too.

Quevedo, the
country’s second living cardinal, has issued a call for sobriety and calmness.

I am airing
this call to all, he said. A call to sobriety, a call to mutual
collaboration, and not to be divisive and confrontational, it is a call to
unity in diversity, Cardinal Quevedo said.Photos below courtesy of Fr. Jon Domingo, OMI. No photo description available sand//scontent.fcgy1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/51144445_10156611168061542_2962953171342721024_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104:amp_nc_eui2=AeFFIqih3uoPhZEVKrfv3RDuGi1TjlHqUiHW3hIe6-dPveZ7QWjIM6BxPw0y9ucVdzf_LRCvyrnqLoX1j_1DTSwA_p6xWH1vciG17tt-PsN99wandamp_nc_ht=scontent.fcgy1-1.fnaandampoh=2e185ca7789b175a3df8801d32965630andampoe=5CEDF41C Image may contain 1 person sand//scontent.fcgy1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/51486724_10156611168006542_825579300831887360_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102:amp_nc_eui2=AeFZ8QkOO3oNnfhDepTGlPVx7GUBcIYosVovqNJyUH8umEoqvhEH2A0_FlPphvN-k67oTRebNf8wGA_1BH_9VVdZJo6_sPyrUPtkh4a02_LRfQandamp_nc_ht=scontent.fcgy1-1.fnaandampoh=91db5e775a2088fd7069b0792b47894candampoe=5CB4A885

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