In memory of Pope Francis

PEACE-MAKER As our modest way of honoring the memory of Pope Francis, we are reprinting part of our column dated March 17, 2021, ‘Pope Francis’ journey in Iraq; the 1990 earthquake in Pangasinan and pioneering in the Middle East’: “We join Roman Catholics around the world in praying for the safety of Pope Francis who, as of this writing, boarded his plane for Iraq last Friday, indeed a historic but dangerous journey in the midst of the raging global pandemic and the recurrent violence in the war-ravaged country. The unprecedented Papal visit takes place amid the frequent rocket attacks by armed groups on bases housing U.S.

troops in the country, including the assault on Al Asad airbase a few days before Pope Francis’ arrival in Baghdad. Last January, a market in the capital Baghdad was rocked by a twin suicide bombing claimed by ISIS, killing more than 30 civilians and injuring more than a hundred. The well-loved 84-year-old Pontiff is scheduled to visit communities, especially the dwindling Christian group there, that have been ravaged by decades-old war and terrorism.



More importantly, he will meet with the preeminent and influential Shiite Islam leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the latter’s home in the holy city of Najaf. The reclusive 90-year-old Ali al-Sistani is said to be a moderating force in Iraq. In the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, as a young entrepreneur in the Middle East and North Africa, we undertook mass housing and infrastructure projects in this oil-rich country.

Much later, in 1997, as then Speaker of the House,we flew to this Middle East country to help negotiate the release of three Filipinos who were sentenced to life imprisonment. We had the privilege of conferring with then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in his underground headquarters in Tikrit, his hometown, located on the west bank of the Tigris River about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of capital Baghdad. By the grace of God, Saddam Hussein granted freedom to thethree Filipinos and we brought them home.

We are deeply saddened by the dreadful turn of events in Iraq in recent years. Pope Francis’ historic visit sent a powerful message of solidarity and reassurance to the Iraqi people who have tremendously suffered from decades of violence, devastation, and carnage. It also highlights the importance of inter-religious dialogue as a way of helping resolve politico-religious conflicts, strengthening the religious moderates, and isolating those who advocate terrorism and violent extremism in the name of religion.

Finally, it is a significant step — on a journey of many, many steps — for achieving peace in Iraq and the Middle East in general.”.