A Columban priest recalls Pope John Paul II’s 1981 visit to a poor district in Manilla.
By Fr. Shay Cullen

For 26 long years, Pope John Paul II guided the Catholic Church with compassion and discipline. Everywhere, world leaders acknowledged his outstanding contribution to the advancement of justice and peace, racial harmony and unprecedented international reconciliation with the Jewish community.

My contact with Pope John Paul II came during his 1981 visit to the Philippines where I experienced perhaps his most-striking example of his human touch and genuine concern to empower the downtrodden and stop dictators in their tracks.

I had the privilege of being assigned by a Catholic news agency as a traveling photojournalist during his historic visit to Manila. He was scheduled to appear in Tondo, one of the poorest districts of Manila, and a small stage had been erected and roped off from the pressing crowds.

I declined to ride in the press bus that morning because of the mounting traffic and, instead, walked most of the way. I arrived early before the dignitaries. I learned later that they were ordered to wait until the gate-crashing Imelda Marcos, the Philippines president, could arrive with pomp and ceremony at the scene to which she was not invited. As usual, she was late.

Fr. Shay Cullen took this photo of the pope greeting the faithful in Tondo, one of the poorest districts in Manila, the Philippines capital.

Here was the pope, a very ordinary, smiling pastor who was delighted to be close to the people. He reached out to the children and blessed the crowds as he walked to the stage where I was standing alone, bemused at this unexpected turn of events.

The pope stood there patiently, waiting for some officials to arrive before reading his prepared speech. I was standing within 10 feet of him. I was amazed at just how simple a man he was. Who had ever seen a pope on a street corner in the poorest part of a town?

In the past, popes never left the Vatican, often only traveling on a raised throne wearing a triple crown like an earthly king. But not John Paul. Coming down to the level of the poor was his way.

I could hardly believe it as I respectfully and discreetly took some unique photos of this kindly, gesturing pastor waving to the cheering crowds. There was a sudden commotion as police sirens heralded the arrival of the government dignitaries—all in a panic because of their lateness.

I looked at John Paul; he was calm, collected and looked amused at the spectacle. He returned my look with a smile of understanding, resigned at the unpleasant necessity of greeting distasteful politicians.

Imelda and the main press corps never made it to Tondo. Some media arrived after John Paul had already given his strongly worded speech calling for the dignity of the poor to be acknowledged by politicians as Jesus had walked with them and promised them the Kingdom. The poor deserved their social and economic rights, he said, and their rights had to be respected.