CNMI mourns pontiff’s death, Mt. Carmel to hold daily Mass offerings

Hundreds of Catholic faithful mourned the death of Pope John Paul II, offering prayers for the top church leader who declared the then Mt. Carmel Church the cathedral for the new diocese of Chalan Kanoa.

Bishop Tomas A. Camacho, whom the pope appointed as the diocese’s first bishop, led priests and the Catholic flock in offering Mass for John Paul at the packed cathedral last night.

“The whole Catholic world will definitely miss his firm but gentle guidance of the church. By his frequent visits around the world, he had touched the lives of so many people in so many different ways,” Camacho said during the Mass celebration.

“He [pope] directly touched us here in the Northern Mariana Islands in 1985 when he elevated the church to that of Diocese of Chalan Kanoa and declared the Mount Carmel parish church the cathedral of the new diocese. In a personal way, I am deeply indebted to the Holy Father for appointing me to be the first bishop of this new diocese,” Camacho said.

The bishop called on the Catholic flock to pray for the repose of the pope’s soul, announcing that the cathedral would hold mass offerings daily at 6pm.

The cathedral also led the recitation of the Holy Rosary after last night’s Mass. The recitation will follow the cathedral’s daily Mass.

At the San Roque parish church, those attending Mass knelt down during the homily. They offered candles and prayer for the pontiff whom parish priest Nonoy Recaido described as a “man of peace.”

“All of us were saddened by the sudden death of the pope. I think we have to accept reality that he has to rest,” Recaido said.

He said the pontiff’s life should serve as an example to Christians, saying that John Paul, who served as pope for 26 years, has become an epitome of “unconditional love.”

For 17-year-old Joseph Cruz of Susupe, the pope is a “holy guy.” Although he felt saddened by the pope’s death, he said he would pray for the pontiff’s soul, while attending Mass at the cathedral last night.

“I feel so sad. I think the people of the CNMI feels the same way,” said Chalan Kanoa resident Ton Benavente. He found solace, though, in the thought that the Pope died peacefully after suffering from frail health condition.

The CNMI government would be sending its condolences to Vatican City, according to Pete Callaghan, the governor’s press secretary.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Pope John Paul II. He had a long and very productive papacy,” Callaghan said.

American and Commonwealth flags could be seen at half-mast at the American Memorial Park yesterday, apparently to mourn the pope’s death.