200 Pinoy priests, seminarians meet with Pope

At least 200 Filipino priests, religious and seminarians in Rome and from other parts of Italy attended an audience with Pope Benedict XVI to mark the Year for Priests. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Thursday Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican Mercedes Tuason and staff members of the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See organized the meeting. Members of the Filipino delegation displayed and waved Philippine flags as they made their way to St. Peter’s Square from the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See. "The Filipinos enthusiastically clapped and waved Filipino flags upon hearing themselves being acknowledged by the Pope," the CBCP said in its website. "The Filipinos were given seats in the special section on the stage nearest to the chair of the Pope, which brought much consolation to all," the CBCP said. Benedict XVI concluded his message in English by welcoming all the English-speaking visitors, “especially a group of priests, religious and seminarians from the Philippines."—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV