Philippine Students Inspired

MANILA, Philippines (CNS) -- Young people drew inspiration from a Jan. 18 encounter with Pope Francis at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

The event occurred during the Holy Father’s weeklong trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines, which concluded Jan. 19. During his visit to Sri Lanka, the pope canonized Sri Lankan St. Joseph Vat, the country’s first saint.

Rain started to fall the moment the pope took the stage Jan. 18 in Manila – before a sea of young people in bright-colored T-shirts – but the 30,000 students and youth leaders remained rooted in their sections, listening to the pope urging them to cry, to love and to think, feel and act.

Csherina Sanchez said she was inspired by his words.

"He shows me, really, that asking and crying (for) the poor is something that I should be brave about doing," she told Catholic News Service. "He said that true Christians should cry. For me it's a really good message."

Sanchez, 25, a student at Manila's Emmanuel School of Mission, explained: "As Asians we have this tendency to keep negative feelings. Positive feelings we can express freely. But in terms of negative ones like sadness, fear, we keep it inside. And it's really a freeing message that it's OK to cry. It's good to cry."

As Pope Francis arrived his popemobile, young people ran from one corner of the sports field to another, trying to keep pace with the beaming pontiff.

Celine Villarin, 19, a member of the Student Catholic Action of the Philippines, said she could not find the words to say why the pope makes such a huge impression.

"I don't really know,” she said, “but there is something really magical in him that when you see him, goose bumps are really felt all over you."

Pope Francis’ final public mass, held Jan. 18 in Manila’s Rizal Park, drew an estimated 6 million people.