Pope Francis was 'in awe' of the father of the relief worker who died in Tacloban because of the manner in which he was taking his daughter's loss, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said on Sunday. 

 

The pontiff met with Paulino Padasas, father of 27-year-old Kristel Mae, after the Encounter with the Youth event on Sunday. Tagle and Kristel's uncle were also present in the meeting.

Today #PopeFrancisPH met with dad of @CatholicRelief worker killed in #Tacloban. 

— Barb Fraze (@bfraze) January 18, 2015

 

"I think what struck the Holy Father was the statements of the father of Kristel," the cardinal said during a news conference.

 

"It surprised the Holy Father when this weeping father said 'I have accepted this. I am resigned to the fact that my daughter is no longer with me. I rejoice that she valued serving other people especially serving during this visit of the Holy Father,'" Tagle added.

 

Paulino Padasas also told the Pope, "May kabuluhan ang pagkamatay ng anak ko."

 

To this, the Pope just said, "What faith, what faith," Tagle recalled.

 

Paulino had decided to stay at home and watch the papal visit on TV, anticipating that the crowds would be so large that it would be unlikely he could catch a glimps of the pope.

 

"And then my daughter died. She arranged this meeting with the Holy Father," he said according to the cardinal. — DVM, GMA News