My Pope Philippines – August 2018

EDITOR’S LETTER

I

’ve always loved the story of how my parents first met as post-

graduate students in the US on New Year, 1960, in New York

City. After meeting at a gathering, they went their separate

ways, my mom to Marquette in Wisconsin, and my dad to Harvard

in Massachusetts. Their encounter was rather fleeting, but my

mom must have made quite an impression on my dad because he

decided to set her up with one of his close friends. Eight months

later they went on a pilgrimage with their gang, and as they knelt

side-by-side in front of the altar in the Monastery of Holy Hill,

my father prayed and wrote down his petition, asking for a good

wife. Little did he know my mother had written her own petition,

asking for a good husband. A week later, on September 8, my father

finally realized that he had feelings for my mother, and after getting

the blessing of his close friend (the one he set her up with!), my

father began to officially court my mother. They corresponded via

handwritten letters, and were married in Manila in 1962. They

have since spent the past 56 years together in a strong and loving

marriage I can only hope to emulate.

Every family has its favorite stories, myths, and legends, and the

Pope’s is no different. In this issue we bring you the origins of the

Bergoglio family (page 20), as well as the different homes of Lolo

Kiko’s childhood, and the influences that shaped him. We also fast

forward to the present, and give you a peek into the Santo Papa’s

private life in his new home, Casa Santa Marta (page 48). And

because this issue is all about family, we bring you wonderfully

real stories that celebrate how families can come in many different

shapes and forms (page 28).

Actor-director-producer Joel Trinidad tells us about following

in the footsteps of his father, Noel (page 10), and brothers Philip

and Paolo Moran talk about how they run their family business,

Amici restaurant, together (page 18). And as we laud the virtues

of kinship, we also acknowledge that each family has its ups and

downs—which is why we help you along in your family healing

(page 37), and even your own personal healing as a member of

a clan (page 9). And what would this issue be without our lolos

and lolas? We share the Pope’s uplifting message to grandparents

(page 44), and inspire you with the story of Zosimo Bolaños, who

graduated from law school at age 70 (page 14)!

We hope this issue will both warm and heal your hearts. Thank

you for being a part of the My Pope family!

TATA’S PHOTO BY MONICA B. SAVELLANO. SHOT ON LOCATION AT ARUGA BY ROCKWELL.

Tata Mapa

Editor-in-chief

We look back at

the Pope’s roots

on page 24.

A new perspective on how to heal hurts and

Sit back, relax, and feel right at home

strengthen family bonds on page 37.

with our heartfelt Family Issue!

Lolo Kiko remids us

of the importance

of grandparents on

page 44.

Faith and Food

Read about the

beginnings of Amici

restaurant and how

the Moran brothers

honor tradition on

page 18.