VIA Times – February 2015 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
By: Joe Mauricio
When Fortune Magazine announced its 2014 list of World’s Greatest Leaders, the top spot was accorded not to a political figure or CEO of industry, but to the new Papal figure, a man who spent much of his life working in the slums of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Pope Francis earned praises and approval and many more to come because in just one and half years at the Vatican, he achieved a remarkable and new breath of life to an aging institution, the Catholic Church, refocused attention to core values and created a new image for the most visible religious leader on Earth.
Being humble is sometimes considered a weakness, but Jorge Marie Bergoglio’s strength as Pope Francis emanates from his humility and his help for anyone to become a more compassionate, authentic, and effective leader.
On his visit to the Philippines last month, the Pope met his diabolical opposite, the President of the Philippines Noynoy Aquino. Thousands of people lined up to see the Pope with their naked eye and chose to be close to the Holy Man instead of watching him on TV. While the crowd was gathering outside the Palace, Mr.Aquino delivered a speech that silenced the Pope, the media and the people, the lowest point of the Pope’s visit.
Aquino noted that the church has always been at the forefront of championing the rights of all, especially those of the marginalized, but he said that he finds it hard to understand why the members of the Philippine Clergy, once advocates of the poor, the marginalized, and the helpless, have suddenly become silent in the face of the previous administration’s abuses, which he claimed his adminidtration is trying to rectify to this very day.
“In this attempt at correcting the wrong of the past, one would think that the church would be our natural ally. In contrast to their previous silence, some members of the Clergy now seem to think that the way to be true to the faith means finding something to criticize, even to the extent that one prelate admonished me to do something about my hair, as if it were a mortal sin. It it any wonder that they see the glass not as half full or half empty, but almost totally empty? Judgment is rendered without an appreciation of facts,” Aquino said.
The big question is, why did President Aquino chastise the Philippine Catholic Clergy in front ot the Holy Father? Was it for the Pope to punish the Prelate who suggested that he do something about his hair? And why did he mention abuses under former President Gloria Arroyo’s administration? What has that to do with the Pope’s pastoral visit?
The Pope came to the Philippines to visit the devastated area of Tacloban, inspire the Filipino people, mingle with the poor and the helpless, and not to listen to gripes from a diabolical opposite, the current President of the Philippines.
It’s about time for Aquino to grow up and stop throwing tantrums in front of his guest, who happens to be the spiritual leader of the two-billion Catholics worldwide.
Aquino should be thankful that the Vicar of Christ had included the Philippines in his itinerary during his presidency, the fourth such occasion in Philippine history, a feather in Aquino’ss cap as the current president of the country.
Pope Francis called on the people and faithfuls to pray that his visit in the Philippines would boost the Catholic population and, at the same time, help strengthen fraternity, inter-religious dialogues and friendship, both lacking in Aquino’s characteristic traits.
