Pope Francis Mourns Death of Woman Who Helped Organize Mass in Tacloban

Pope Francis expressed his sadness over the death of a 27 year-old woman who figured in a freak accident, as the mass he officiated was about to start in stormy Tacloban, Leyte last Saturday.

In his ‘Encounter with the Youth’ at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila on Sunday, the pontiff began his homily by breaking the sad news to the young people present in the audience.

Pope Francis asked them to join him in offering prayers and a moment of silence for the victim, identified in news reports as Kristel Mae Padasas, as well as for her grieving parents.

Padasas hailed originally from Samar and was in Tacloban to help the church in organizing the papal mass. She died when a piece of the scaffolding was brushed by strong winds and accidentally fell on her.

“She worked for those Catholic relief services, a volunteer worker. I would like all of you, young like her, to pray for a moment in silence with me and then we pray to Mama, our lady, in heaven… Let us also pray for her parents. She was the only daughter,” Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis’ visit to Tacloban as part of his five-day state and apostolic journey in the Philippines was cut short due to the threat of tropical storm ‘Amang.’

He went there especially to meet the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and bring them words of encouragement and inspiration from the Lord to help them recover from their harrowing experiences in the tragedy. PND (hdc)