ILOILO CITY — Capiz Archbishop Victor Barnuevo Bendico honored Pope Francis who passed away on Monday, April 21.

"Si Papa Francisco nagtudlo sa aton nga hakuson ang mga imol, sa pag-abiabi sa mga napilasan, kag sa pagbalay sang isa ka Simbahan sang malapit kag nagaulikid sa mga tawo (Pope Francis has taught us to embrace the poor, to welcome the wounded, and to build a Church of near and caring people),” said Bendico in a pastoral message delivered in the Hiligaynon dialect.
“Ang iya panawagan para sa kaluoy gin-updan man sang iya panawagan sa pag-atipan sa mga tinuga, nga nagapahanumdom sa aton sa sulat ensiklikal 'Laudato Si’ nga ang aton pagtuo dapat man maglakip sang maayo pagdumala kag pagtatap sang aton common home (His appeal for mercy was also accompanied by his appeal to care for creation, which reminds us of the encyclical letter Laudato Si. He said that our faith must also include good governance and stewardship of our common home),” added Bendico.
Pope Francis appointed the Capiz native Bendico as the fourth archbishop of the archdiocese.
Bendico succeeded fellow Capiz native, Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Jose Advincula Jr.
He encouraged the Catholic faithful to attend the April 28 Requiem Mass for Pope Francis at the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City.