Popular media have been using this elusive term, “Pope Francis Effect.” Priests would offer a spiritual definition: it refers to the Pope’s inspiring presence that gave joy and hope to those who have none or have found them in wanting – the sick, the abandoned children, the poor, the disaster victims, even the rich and the comforted, and yes, even the sinners.
To pundits, the “Pope Francis Effect” is the uncanny ability to open a can of worms, claiming that the presence of Pope Francis in the Philippines made this society more aware of the acute problems plaguing it through words that felt sharply right (i.e. “scandalous inequalities”). To the mass media, the “Pope Francis Effect” refers to the Pope simulating a “rock star” persona whose star power commanded huge audiences in venues traditionally filled only by celebrities and super stars and the ability to draw out and retain massive crowds even amidst a steady downpour and uncomfortable conditions.
It truly exists
Indeed, the “Pope Francis Effect” can be anything to anyone. But regardless of what the official definition may be, I affirm that the “Pope Francis Effect” truly exists. In social networking sites and news channel websites in the Philippines, even non-Catholics claim to feel the Pope’s presence and had positive words to say about the Pope’s apostolic visit. The Muslim community in the Philippines welcomed Pope Francis. The LGBT community saw some promise in the Pope’s progressive stance on family and gender issues. Even atheists and the agnostics had kind words to say about the Pope. Given Pope Francis’ well-publicized critique of global capitalism, even certain sections of the Philippine Left had spoken of him as a comrade.
Truly, the Papal visit had an effect on everyone – not only to the Catholics and Filipinos –but on many sections of Philippine society (including OFWs) and to the international community that observed the unfolding of this event. And the kind of effect it produced is one for the record — bringing together the Filipino people from all walks of life as one community in an intensely sincere and heartfelt gathering – something that has not been observed in years in this country.
Je Suis Charlie
But shortly before the Papal visit, recent memory takes everyone to the Charlie Hebdo affair in France, when political satirists and cartoonists have been gunned down by two Muslim Algerian immigrants in their magazine’s office in the heart of Paris. It gave rise to the “Je Suis Charlie” movement, which is described in international media as a movement for free speech.
Free speech, according to the brand of journalism and satirism espoused by Charlie Hebdo, is the right to expose truth even if that truth offends. Looking at the cartoon it has published through time, free speech in the minds of Charlie Hebdo journalists is the right to make fun of power and to render the sacred profane. It is the right to depict the Holy Trinity and the prophet Mohammed in pornographic portrayals.
Now people debate: is the right to free speech absolute? Does this right entail permission to ridicule faith? Can we really express ourselves in any possible and uncurtailed way, even if others claim to be offended by it? Pope Francis, in response to the Paris shooting, was quoted as saying that every religion has its own dignity; and while the violence has to be condemned, it was understandable as a natural all-too-human reaction by people to an insult made to someone dear to them.
Public effects
The Papal visit and the Charlie Hebdo affair both had public effects. While the Pope Francis Effect was unifying, inspiring and revitalizing, the Charlie Hebdo effect was divisive, enraging and frightening.
Despite what smart people insist as an inalienable right to free speech, this time I refuse to join the bandwagon.
Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie.
The author is an assistant professor at the Behavioral Sciences Department, College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University Manila. She can be reached at [email protected].
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.