The election of Pope Francis as new pontiff brings renewed hope that the Catholic Church in the Philippines would be more enlightened in its role in society. Now under the leadership of Pope Francis, who is known for his humility and love for the poor, our prelates here in the Philippines should start refocusing their priorities on what is dear to the Holy Father.
Most important of these priorities is the renewal of the faith of Filipino Catholics who are currently being alienated by the Church leadership because of their selective intrusion into matters that are best left to the people for decision. Some might ask, why has the Church been too nosey in the passage of some bills in Congress but has been mum on the government’s injustice in persecuting personalities from the previous administration?
The clergy should start accepting the fact that the reason for less people in churches is not weakened faith, but weakened trust in the Church. The undeniable fact is that the more Church leaders insist on incorporating dogma into government actions, the more alienated the people would be. So instead of swaying people into voting for the Church’s “conscience” candidates, it would be more apt for our bishops to just follow the example of Pope Francis by guiding the flock into reaching out to the poor, whatever religion they may practice.
It would be inspiring if the Catholic Church would have a say in the current human rights abuses being committed in Sabah against Muslim Filipinos who are just fighting for their homeland. If the Church could just muster the strength to reach out to our Muslim brothers who are being massacred with implied permission from our own government, the people would certainly go back to church.
As we welcome Pope Francis as the new head of our Church, we also hope that our clergy would follow his example and focus more on the core of Christian faith: implanting humility, simplicity, and justice in the hearts of the faithful.
—FRIANNA MARQUEZ,
frianna_m@rocketmail.com