His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze (left) arrives in the country to represent Pope Benedict XVI to the Plenary Assembly of the IX Federation of Asian Bishops Conference to be held at the Pope Pius Center on August 10-16. (Photo by ANJO PEREZ)

The special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI, His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, expressed his sympathy to the Aquino family upon his arrival from Rome at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday morning aboard a Cathay Pacific flight via Hong Kong.

The special envoy disclosed that the Pope was saddened upon learning of former President Corazon Aquino’s demise last August 1.

He also extended his sympathies to the Aquino family as well as to the rest of the Filipino people who lost an icon of democracy and peace.

Cardinal Arinze is in the country to represent Pope Benedict XVI to the IX Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) Plenary Assembly which will be held at the Pope Pius XII Center in Paco, Manila from August 10-16.

The FABC is a voluntary association of episcopal conferences in South, Southeast, East and Central Asia, established with the approval of the Holy See. Its purpose is to foster among its members solidarity and co-responsibility for the welfare of Church and society in Asia, and to promote and defend whatever is for the greater good.

Cardinal Arinze was met at the airport by Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Cardinal Edward Joseph Adams and Ambassador to the Vatican Henrieta de Villa.

Arinze is expected to call on prelates to urge Catholics to attend Sunday Mass, go to Confession and draw spiritual nourishment from the Scriptures.

Pope Benedict XVI has also tasked the 72-year-old Papal representative to encourage the bishops to support their priests, especially during this special Year for Priests.

Arinze was appointed bishop of Onitsha in Nigeria by Pope Paul VI in August 1965 at the age of 32. In 1967, Arinze was designated Archbishop of Onitsha and was the leader of the Catholic community in Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). He was also voted president of the Nigerian bishops' conference, and in that role welcomed Pope John Paul II to Africa in 1982.

More than 100 participants have signed up for the upcoming 9th Plenary Assembly of the FABC which will discuss “Living the Eucharist in Asia.”

The 9th Plenary Assembly of the FABC will open with a Eucharistic celebration on August 11 at the Manila Cathedral. Cardinal Arinze has been invited to preside and speak at the opening and closing Eucharistic celebrations of the upcoming FABC plenary assembly.

Some 120 delegates and participants are expected to attend, representing the 18 member-bishops' conferences of the Federation and 11 associate members. This will be the second time that such a plenary takes place in Manila, after the foundation of the Federation in Manila in 1970, and the 6th Plenary Assembly in 1995.

The biggest number of bishops of a single country will come from India, which has, not only a conference of Latin Rite bishops, but two conferences in addition for the Syrian rites. The Indian delegation has altogether 15 bishops, including two Cardinals and those related to FABC offices.

In total, 22 Asian countries will be represented at this year's Plenary Assembly, including two countries from Central Asia - Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

There will be two representatives of the Holy See, with Francis Cardinal Arinze as the official Papal Delegate. (With a report by Ronniel de Guzman and Leslie Ann Aquino)