3 families from Cagayan recall their encounter with Pope Francis and how their babies got blessed by the Pontiff

Honored, blessed, touched, and beyond grateful. That is how the faithful families of the three children from Cagayan described their feelings as they recalled their rare opportunity of meeting with Pope Francis.

Pope Francis, whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina, assumed papacy in 2013 following the election by the papal conclave. As the 266th pontiff, he headed the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and the state of Vatican City until his death on April 21 due to stroke and heart failure. He was 88.

His demise sent shockwaves through the Catholic world, with many flooding social media with their tribute while fondly recalling their moving encounter with the Pope.

Theo Gabriel Ventura

Timothy Ventura and her wife Gilsah Fortuno Ventura, from Tuguegarao City, looked back during their Rome tour in September last year. They were then with their child Theo Gabriel Ventura, and relatives, when they saw Pope Francis greeting the crowd from the Popemobile.

Timothy, in his interview with ABS-CBN, said that they were already thrilled that they got to catch sight of the Pope up close. They were more surprised when a Papal guard lifted baby Theo Gabriel and brought him to the Pope, who then blessed and kissed the forehead of the little one.

“We were truly blessed to have met Your Holiness, and our family is deeply honored to have encountered you. Thank you for the blessing you gave our little Theo. Your grace will continue to flow through him, and I pray he grows up knowing that, once in his life, he was lovingly held by your Blessedness,” stated Gilsah on her social media post.

It turns out that Theo Gabriel is the nephew of the late Rev. Father Mark Ventura of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, who was gunned down by a riding-in-tandem while he was celebrating a mass at a gymnasium in Barangay Peña Weste, Gattaran in 2018.

Ean Kelvin Romualdo Tingson

Another kiss went to baby Ean Kelvin Romualdo Tingson from Tuguegarao and Iloilo. He was blessed by Pope Francis during his family’s visit to the Vatican in 2023.

Ean’s father, Elvin Tingson, recalled being emotional with his wife after their then two-year-old baby was carried to the Pope by the Vatican security.

Elvin said their rare experience serves not just as an inspiration but a challenge on their part on how to guide and raise their child to be a “better Christian.”

“To our son, Ean, I pray that you grow up knowing that, once in your life, you were lovingly held by our Holy Father. Thank you, Papa Francisco, for this beautiful gesture. It's a moment we will cherish forever,” wrote Ean’s mother, Kristina, on her social media account.

Johan Marron Ofteland

Johan Marron Ofteland might be too young to remember it but he was among the fortunate ones to have been blessed by the Pope over a couple of months before his first birthday in 2018.

Johan turns 8 in December. His mother, Jovimae, is from Gattaran, Cagayan, while his father, Helge, is from Oslo, Norway.

His grandmother, Janelyn, can still vividly remember that fortunate day. She told GURU Press Cordillera that she was on her vacation then and her daughter Jovimae asked her what places she wanted to visit. As a devoted Catholic, she chose to go to mass and see the Pope in Vatican over Paris, and so they went.

They endured the heat and waited for the Papal parade. When the Popemobile drove past them, a security guard plucked baby Johan from the crowd and carried him to Pope Francis for his blessing.

That time, Janelyn could not contain her joy and burst into tears. Until now, she gets emotional recalling their experience. She still could not believe that out of many children brought by their families that day, one of the few to have been blessed was her ‘apo’, a local term for grandson.

Pope Francis to children: “Learn to listen”

The late Pope used to refer to children as an enormous gift from God. To him, they can serve as “little bridges,” and he had been highlighting the importance of restoring hope to young people.

Before he was hospitalized earlier this year, part of his recorded video message was addressed to youngsters to “learn to listen”, especially to the elderly who “teach us so much.”

“Look closely at people—people don’t listen. Halfway through an explanation, they’ll answer, and that doesn’t help peace. Listen—listen a lot,” added the pontiff.

Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in central Rome. He was said to be the first pontiff to be buried outside the Vatican in over 120 years.