'I didn't see very many': On flight home, Pope Francis shares what Singaporeans can learn from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Timor-Leste
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ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — On Day One of Pope Francis' visit to the Asia-Pacific, I called him «Your Holiness», unsure of how he would react if I misspoke. But on Day 12 — the last day of moving as a unit of about 150 as part of his entourage'I didn't see very many': On flight home, Pope Francis shares what Singaporeans can learn from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Timor-Leste
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — On Day One of Pope Francis' visit to the Asia-Pacific, I called him «Your Holiness», unsure of how he would react if I misspoke. But on Day 12 — the last day of moving as a unit of about 150 as part of his entourage — «Papa Francesco» and «Santita» are no longer awkward terms for me. «Papa Francesco,» I said, my words opening a press conference that would round up the arduous 12-day tour with Singapore as its last leg. I was the first reporter to ask a question. We are not in a room somewhere in the Vatican City, but 10km above ground on a chartered Singapore Airlines flight conveying the pontiff — who has not been away from the Vatican City this long in his 11-year tenure — from Singapore back to Rome, Italy. A few minutes earlier, the rear section of the plane was abuzz with activity as some among the approximately 80 Vatican-accredited media personnel rolled out wires across the floor of the Airbus A350-900 plane to catch a clean audio feed. Portable speakers were also brought out and placed on overhead stowage bins to combat the loud droning sounds of a plane in motion. Read more