By Leslie Ann Aquino
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Thursday told Australian missionary nun Patricia Fox to draw strength from the understanding and love of most Filipinos.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle (John Jerome Ganzon / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
His Eminence personally conveyed this message to Fox, who was one of the personalities that he interviewed during the "Conversation with the Cardinal" portion of the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization held at the University of Santo Tomas.
"I hope you draw strength from the understanding and the love of most of the Filipinos," said Tagle.
To note, Fox made the headlines recently after the Bureau of Immigration forfeited her missionary visa but this was later overturned by the Department of Justice declaring the latter's order "without legal basis."
The nun has been here in the country for years helping the poor among others.
"Sometimes you reach a point when its not just seeing things from the perspective of the poor, but you are also made poor and made to suffer what they suffer," said Tagle.
For her part, Fox said the support of the people is one of the things that gives her strenght.
"That's been one of the surprises for me...the number of people who have said they are praying for me. I think that's what keeps me going...the support of the people has been amazing and that gives you strenght," she said.
"I think I've gotten a lot more than what I've given," added Fox.
Tagle's reply to this was: "a missionary also receives a lot of missionary strength coming from the witness, the love of the people. Its really a networking. No one is just a recipient. Everyone gives, everyone receives in this communion in mission."