Papal Household Preacher Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa said Friday he was overwhelmed by the big number of priests who participated in the 2nd National Congress of the Clergy (NCC) at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, saying "it's only in the Philippines these things happen."

Former Ambassador to the Vatican Henrietta de Villa, head of the Central Coordinating Council of the 2nd NCC, told reporters that Cantalamessa was surprised when he saw many priests in the gathering.

“I’m not comparing since each place has its own grace. But the retreat called in France gathered only 1,500 priests and that was an international event,” she said.

“Ours was national with some international walk-ins; yet we gathered 5,542,” De Villa added.

The Filipino clergy, on the other hand, expressed gratitude for the presence of Cantalamessa who was invited by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales to talk during the five-day congress.

Inspired by the talks of the visiting Vatican official, De Villa said, the priests are already requesting a 3rd National Congress of the Clergy.

“They would like this (gathering) to be a more regular thing. If you recall, it was five years ago when we had the 1st Congress of the Clergy. So this time, the priests are hoping for another congress, maybe in two years time,” she said.

To show their appreciation to the Papal preacher, Cardinal Rosales gave Cantalamessa a small image of St. John Mary Vianney at the end of his address last Friday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.