RIP: Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Church

We join the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for extending our deepest sympathies for our brethren in Egypt for the loss of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Church.

Read: Why Pope Shenouda is called "pope"?

TELEGRAM FROM THE POPE FOR VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN

VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father, through Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., has sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Leo Jun Ikenaga S.J. of Osaka, Japan, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan, for the earthquake and tsunami which have brought devastation to the country.

"Deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic effects of the major earthquake and consequent tsunamis which have struck Japan's north-eastern coastal regions, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI assures all who have been afflicted of his closeness at this difficult time. He prays for those who have died, and upon their grieving families and friends he invokes divine blessings of strength and consolation. The Holy Father also expresses his prayerful solidarity with all those providing rescue, relief and support to the victims of this disaster".

POPE PRAYING FOR JAPAN'S QUAKE VICTIMS

Photo Source: weball.hu

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 11, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is assuring the victims of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit off the north eastern coast of Japan today of his prayers and spiritual closeness.

The quake, one of the biggest to have ever hit Japan, struck 80 miles off the coast of Sendai, north of Tokyo, and triggered a 32-foot tsunami that swept everything in its path, including houses, infrastructure, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, sent a telegram on behalf of the Pope to Archbishop Leo Jun Ikenaga of Osaka, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan. It read: "Deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic effects of the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit coastal regions of northeastern Japan, Pope Benedict XVI assures his closeness to the victims in this difficult time."

The telegram adds that the Pope "prays for all those who died, and their families and friends in mourning, and invokes divine blessings of strength and consolation. The Holy Father also expresses his prayerful solidarity with all those involved in rescue operations and providing relief and support to victims of this disaster."

Sendai has been the hardest hit by the disaster, where up to 300 bodies have found.

A Saintly Cory died at 76

Corazon C. Aquino died today at the age of 76. Her death is a personal loss for me. I was just 14 years old when she ran for Presidency. I remembered singing the "Bayan Ko" for the first time with passion when Butch Abad came to my town and awaken the Filipino pride in us by a song. I never felt that Filipino pride in me until Cory came to challenge the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

I consider Cory as the best Presidents we ever had and I am truly blest to have lived during her leadership. Plagued with 7 coup attemps by selfish military men who are now serving as our Senators she survived them all courageously strengthened by her faith in God and her deep devotion to the Mother of God, Mary Most Holy. During those difficult times, no one knew that she was kept secretly inside comtemplative convents of the Pink Sisters, founded by St. Arnold Janssen, SVD.

At times, I didn't agree with her when she joined forces with Joseph Estrada but now I understand.

Cory never thought of herself alone. In all her decisions, she always considers what the Filipino people may benefit from her decision. Her saintly life as a devout Catholic leader was tarnished only by her own children's lapse judgment but she remained loving to her children.

I never heard any bad thing about Cory. Only God knows how virtuous she lived her life privately.

For me, she's a saint worthy of emulation.

May she rest in peace!