As a new Manila archbishop takes over, pandemic-stricken poor seek solace
MANILA, Philippines — Jocelyn Sosobrado and her husband are jobless with four children, their eldest dealing with hydrocephalus.
Moved to tears, she said life has been harder during the pandemic. But as she clings to faith, the family of six living at the Baseco compound in Manila get by each day.
"There are times you lose hope," she told Philstar.com in Filipino. "You have nothing for expenses and you have a child with a condition. But the church people are there to help."
Mila Villagracia is a widow at 79. She lives with her daughter, who earns P300 ($6.24) thrice a week at the sidelines of a Mami Pares, along with her two grandchildren. The family, she said, relies every day on the feeding program of the Catholic Church in Malate.
The two are among the many reached by the social programs of the church as the virus's grip remains tight in the capital region. And as Jose Cardinal Advincula takes over the administration and direction of the Manila archdiocese this week, they look to his arrival for hope and concrete help to make it through the pandemic.
"We hope he will have the humility to embrace his children," Villagracia said in Filipino, "and help more those in need, and for people who are afraid during this time of pandemic in their faith."
The country's premiere see encompasses five cities — capital Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati, San Juan and Pasay — highly urbanized areas of some three million Catholics where a significant number remains impoverished.
Pope Francis named Advincula to the archdiocese in March, plucking him from Capiz months after he was made a cardinal. At 69, he admitted to having fears over his new role as he described Manila as "very challenging," coming from the rural areas of San Carlos in Negros province and of Capiz.
"Perhaps the playing field has changed," Advincula told church-backed CBCP News. "But my role is still that of a shepherd. So I think what I should do is to try my best that I will be a shepherd."
The cardinal said he does not know yet the full picture in Manila, but those in his mind are programs for the poor and on building on the initiatives of those who came before him.
Bridging a divide
Fr. Erik Adoviso heads the archdiocese's social service commission. Since last year, he said ministries such as Caritas Manila have assisted 1.3 million poor families even those not in the faith.
"There were many donors but we are not selective in giving. Whether you are part of Iglesia ni Cristo or Muslim, you will receive aid," he said. "The Church believes in integral evangelization where the social, political and religious aspect of the person or community should be developed."
Such efforts were not carried out without difficulties, the priest shared. There were challenges on mobility and in dealing with fatigue among volunteers at a time when many need aid. Jeepney drivers who could not return to the roads sought help, while some were forced out of their homes unable to pay rent.
In their prison ministry, Adoviso said inmates would call their volunteers to check up on their families who were not allowed to visit for more than a year. Through their programs, he agreed that the church found itself as a vehicle to make people's concerns known.
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"One thing that struck me was when an old man said: Father, we can't rely on aid forever. Our life is on the roads," he added. "Some were able to return but not all, unfortunately."
While they are beneficiaries themselves, Sosobrado and Villagracia are also volunteers to their parishes' feeding programs. Villagracia, a senior citizen, had been volunteering for 10 years before COVID-19 curbs prevented the elderly from going out.
Villagracia said her faith has grown despite hardships from the pandemic, seeing grace through [the] assistance of the church. She wants to resume parish work after COVID-19 "if they will still accept me," she said in smiles. "I'm very much willing to return to the service of the Church."
Cardinal's brainchild
In Capiz, then archbishop Advincula was known for putting up mission stations in his nine years at the helm.
His former personal secretary for over five years told Philstar.com that the church's presence there "was never felt like this before" the program came in.
"People are now active members and are enthusiastic in their service," said Fr. Virgilio Ciudadano Jr., describing the stations as a "fitting response to the call of Pope Francis to bring the message of Jesus to the peripheries."
Ciudadano added that Advincula's program helped the economy thrive where the mission stations are. As communities are often far from town, he said sellers would instead bring fish, pork and other items near the area to the parish.
"After Mass, people no longer need to go to poblacion to buy these needed stuff," he said. "They can save their money instead of spending for fare [via] the habal-habal or other means of transportation." A habal-habal is a motorcycle taxi.
Advincula has said he might take the same program to Manila. It's a possibility Adoviso welcomed, saying there are similar initiatives in the archdiocese such as basic ecclesial communities.
The challenge, he added, is now on improving the existing programs to reach more as the health crisis continues.
"So many are still going hungry, without jobs or being evicted from their homes," Adoviso said. "We already have the programs, so how are we going to be flexible or adjusted?"
The social service chief hopes Advincula will continue programs by his predecessors, and live up to the vision becoming a "church for the poor."
"Our hopes and aspirations are strong and we are excited for a new leader," Adoviso said. "We will listen of course, and [hope that] he will listen to us."
In persona Christi
The new Manila archbishop will be installed on June 24 at the Manila Cathedral. But per official itinerary, his first Sunday Mass would be in Maricaban in Pasay, at the lowly parish of Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted.
For Adoviso, it bears the likeness of Christ meeting the poor and the voiceless in society — something he said is worth following.
"That is what we should all do," he said. "Not only by a cardinal but also by other priests because that is where the Lord immersed himself in."
Sosobrado hopes for the same as those in Maricaban. "For me, it's really to see him," she said. "For him to help those who have it harder during the pandemic, and to pray for those who died."
The Philippines has had one of the worst virus outbreaks in Southeast Asia. That picture remains fragile, with new quarantine classifications every two weeks or month and a vaccination program yet to reach a significant number of the population.
Restrictions that come with it mean the lives of workers and their families, especially those hanging by a thread, could suddenly be disrupted anew.
Mayors of cities within the archdiocese will be in attendance on Advincula's installation rites. That offers him the chance to address policymakers, whose positions of power make millions depend on them.
But while there is no exact telling yet of how he will lead the archdiocese, his chosen motto offers at least a glimpse: "Audiam" or "I will listen."
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