A family of the Catholic faithful, from left, Cara, Joram, Carina, Ramir, Camir and Rai Encabo in their home in Quezon City. CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
MANILA, Philippines—Despite having the privilege to visit the Vatican twice to hear Pope Francis himself lead the celebration of the Catholic Eucharist, the Encabo family, like millions of other Filipinos, was still ecstatic for the coming of the People’s Pope in the Philippines.
“It just feels more special for me. This is where I live. I’ll be with my fellow Filipinos, and we will all be witnessing it together. It’s sharing this tremendous moment with our ‘kababayans’ that make all the difference,” 21-year-old Cara Encabo said.
European pilgrimage
The Encabos toured around Europe in 2008 and 2012 and made sure to visit the Holy City during both trips where they had simple, yet unexpected close encounters with the Pope.
“We will always make sure that we go on a trip to the Vatican because it’s part of a Catholic’s life to be able to go there. It’s a pilgrimage,” 50-year-old mother Carina Encabo said.
Back in May 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI was still the leader of the Catholic faith, it was the first time the Encabos visited the Vatican together as a family.
Had they been given space to sit comfortably outside St. Peter’s Square with the rest of the people on their tour, the family of six would not be asked to rush inside the Basilica when it started to drizzle.
They chanced upon seats near the aisles where they could get a good sight of Pope Benedict as he made his way to the altar.
“I even remember that we were so close to the Pope that he saw a couple in their wedding garments seated just a few pews away from us and asked them to come forward so he could bless them,” Cara said.
She also shared that even with various nationalities present in the Vatican, being inside the Papal state made them feel more intensely, the commonality of their faith.
Two years later, then 47-year-old father Ramir and high-school student Camir Encabo participated in the 26th World Youth Day that took place in Madrid, Spain.
Inside the Vatican
On April 27, 2014, the family gathered with thousands of believers in the Vatican piazza to witness the canonization of two great figures of the 20th-century Roman Catholicism, Pope XXIII and Pope John Paul II.
“We felt like we should be part of it. We saw Pope John Paul II back in 1995 and unlike the saints before him, we were able to witness that he walked this Earth. We felt and knew his presence in our lives,” Carina said.
But more than seeing one of the most influential people in the world and being a witness of history as it unfolds, the mother of four shared that having a glimpse of His Holiness and being inside the Vatican inspires one to evaluate the character and faith of oneself.
“I’m always happy when I’m able to see another pope, but the experience’s feeling, and the message of their presence is just the same. It is a different and unexplainable feeling of happiness and closeness to God, a renewed sense of calling for our faith” she said.
Singing for Pope Francis
With her husband Ramir and daughter Camir, the three of them were part thousand-member choir that sang during the mass of Pope Francis in Luneta last Sunday.
They even welcomed a small group of 30 parishioners from the Novaliches diocese to practice in their home every week since December 2014.
“Now we’re given the chance to serve God and the human head of His Church during the mass. During our visits to the Vatican, of course we weren’t able to do that,” Ramir said.
As millions flocked the old streets of Manila during the weekend, the Encabos saw it as an opportunity to show the People’s Pope the Filipino’s faith, religiosity, and hospitability as a nation.
“Going to the Vatican is like getting immersed in the Holy See’s culture and atmosphere, this time we get to show him our own through the actions of our people,” Carina said.
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