Filipinos Hail Historic Papal Visit

Published January 16, 2015 at 7:40 AM HST

Pope Francis waves to the faithful upon his arrival at Manila Cathedral on January 16, 2015 in Manila, Philippines. (Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images)

Hundreds of thousands of Catholic Filipinos gathered with banners, commemorative dolls and T-shirts this week for the island nation’s first papal visit since John Paul II in 1995.

In a country devastated by government corruption, “super-typhoons” and displaced citizens, Pope Francis is expected to deliver a message of solidarity, mercy and compassion for the poor.

Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson talks with Father Patrick Longalong on the highly anticipated speech and the issues citizens face in the Philippines.

Guest

Father Patrick Longalong, parochial vicar of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Queens, New York, and coordinator of the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate.