May I congratulate the Inquirer for the beautifully written article titled “Pope Francis, Tagle hailed as ‘rock stars’” (Front Page, 3/13/14) by Lito B. Zulueta. John Allen, a visiting Vatican journalist, called Pope Francis “the new celebrity par excellence,” and rightly so. The Pope, with his personal, simple and humble ways, has touched a chord in the hearts of Catholics around the world and sparked the beginnings of a new evangelization in the Church. In his desire to “bring the Church out of the sacristy and into the world,” the Pope himself has led the way.
In this season of Lent, let us heed the Pope’s call to live simpler lives and open ourselves more to the needs of those around us. At times, it is easy to get lost in the plethora of choices that cater to our every whim and fancy. The tendency to think about ourselves and create personal needs or preoccupy ourselves with personal concerns is definitely the lot of us all. Yet, when we see the inspiring example of Pope Francis kissing a leper or going out of his way to show concern for a young woman who finds herself pregnant and alone, we are edified to set the bar higher and live out the demands of our faith through little acts of service and love for people we meet each day.
—STEPHANIE C. OLIVARES,
640 Taysan St., Ayala Alabang Village,
Muntinlupa City