On Pope Francis' Tacloban visit
When His Holiness Pope Francis will be in Tacloban City on January 17, 2015, he will have lunch with the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda and the earthquake which hit Cebu and Bohol. There will be no political or business leaders or moneyed church benefactors.
There are thousands of survivors but only a few will be selected, perhaps only those who have suffered the most in terms of loved ones lost. This is bad news of course for government leaders, the trapos especially, who usually take center space whenever an event such as this occurs. Bad news too for the self-seeking elite who are usually pampered by church officials with choice spots where cameras can highlight their presence.
But the Pope does not want to dine with these people, not that he does not like them, he loves them in fact as he loves the poor. This time, however he most probably wants to unite himself with those who suffer, those whose lives were smothered by nature's twin calamities, the very ones whom the elite have cared little even as the former cried for food, clothing, and shelter.
A Pope for the poor - that's what His Holiness Jorge Mario Bergoglio is. Like Jesus Christ his heart beats for the less fortunate in life. As archbishop of Buenos Aires and later as a Cardinal he made it a regimen to visit slum areas where he would interact with the underserved dwellers, consoling them and giving them material help even as he brought them into awareness of the presence of God.
Behind Pope Francis' passion to lighten the burden of those who have less in life is a strong sense of humility. As a high ranking church official in Buenas Aries he was observed to take the regular public transportation to and from his office instead of the luxurious parish vehicle. This explains why as Bishop of Rome he chose to reside in a guesthouse instead of the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace. Simplicity appeals to him and his vestments are devoid of ornamentation. Upon his election as Pope he refused to wear the traditional papal mozzeta cape and for his piscatory ring he preferred silver not gold.
A Jesuit, Pope Francis' humility must have been inspired by Ignatian aesthetic and most probably by his humble upbringing. He was the eldest of the five children of an Italian immigrant, an accountant, and a housewife born in Buenos Aires whose parentage was also Italian. Before entering the Jesuit seminary in 1958 he worked as a bar bouncer and as a janitor sweeping floors, experiences which exposed him to the Argentine rank and file and taught him the ruggedness of ordinary life.
Such frame of mind must surely awaken in the Pope a deep concern when he sees the sad predicament of the people in Tacloban City during his visit. There may be no more sickening ruins of houses and unburied dead, but the atmosphere of sufferings and anxiety will still be there. The few survivors who will dine with him may not convey to him their doubts on the reality of a merciful God, but he would read this on their faces and would likely come up with some words of comfort.
As he surveys the devastated areas and the still unrepaired roads, bridges and public buildings including school buildings, the Pope would certainly quietly ask, how come after almost a year not much rehabilitation works have been done?
Where is the government which boasts of billions of savings and unprogrammed funds? Where are the erudite politicians who are supposed to be the people's servants? And where are the Filipino rich whose wealth is manifest in mansions, limousines, and vast landholdings?
And what about the spiritual rehabilitation of the survivors? Is there an on-going effort on the part of church authorities to re-invigorate the people's faith in the all loving God?
These questions although perhaps unarticulated will be in the mind of the visiting Roman Pontiff when he comes to Tacloban City.
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