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Ottawa Citizen

Community comes together to honour Lapu Lapu Day victims at 40-day memorial mass

Article content 'We remember the pain, because all of us are affected by it. But when we remember, we no longer remember just human beings. Article content 'We remember God and how God enters into this, because 40 days is a time of change and transformation.' Article content Article content The tragedy of Lapu Lapu Day was noted around the world. Article content Among those who reached out with condolences and sympathy were King Charles, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron. Article content Galvan, the seventh of 10 children born to farmer parents in a remote village in the Philippines, said he was supposed to be at the festival, but the death of Pope Francis required his attention elsewhere. Article content 'Sometimes we get broken, we don't know the reason, but something happened in our lives and so for us, we're not just praying for those who have died, we also pray for the one who caused this pain,' Galvan said. 'He's a human being also like us. Article content Article content 'We pray for him as well, because there are things that we do not understand as human beings … this is very important because when we pray, we raise our minds and hearts.' Article content Galvan was in attendance at Thursday's mass in support of St. Andrew's pastor Fr. Salvador Reyes Jr., who began the service with the hymn Christ Be Our Light: 'Shine in our hearts, shine through the darkness.' Article content That was followed with a passage from Isiah that, Reyes said, emphasizes God's mercy and compassion, even toward sinners: 'I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry.' Article content Eight volunteers with the Provincial Psychosocial Services were on hand to help anyone needing assistance coping with the trauma, with their pamphlets on a table inside the church near doors with posters reading Hope Lives Here. Article content Article content After the service, Reyes led a precession the four blocks to 43rd Avenue, where the tragedy took place. Article content Article content They were accompanied by a police escort, six officers in three police cars, which cordoned off the street for the vigil. Article content White-robed children followed close behind, then the congregation, and 11 candles were lit — one for each fatality — at the memorials that have popped up on the fence bordering John Oliver Secondary. Article content On the fence was another sign: 'This is too much to hold, so we hold it together.' Article content Mirikit Santos, who was not at the festival and did not know anyone who was hurt, said she was there because she couldn't bear the burden of her emotions by herself. Article content 'Here I can express my emotions and I'm not alone,' she said. Article content Article content Article content