Without directly referring to some of our errant officials, visiting Pope Francis urged “rejection of any form of corruption that diverts resources from the poor.”
To many, the Pope struck the right chord in his homily delivered in Malacañang with members of the Cabinet, legislators and the diplomatic corps in attendance. Whether it was coincidence or not, TV cameras panned the front row where Vice President Jejomar Binay, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Senate President Franklin Drilon were seated as the Holy Father spoke of integrity and honesty even as he expressed his concern for inclusive benefits to go down to the poor and society’s downtrodden.
President Benigno S. Aquino III, on the other hand, delivered a rumbling speech that reeked of resentment of things past including the wrong done to his father. What was truly remarkable in B.S A’s speech was when he took the occasion to take a potshot at “the clergy who always criticize my administration.”
That, to us, was out place. It was like telling your guest of honor you invited into your home that some of his children are misbehaving and that the head of the Church should lecture them. BSA III even mentioned that his critics made a joke of his receding hairline “as if it was a mortal sin to lose hair.” Aquino has become a master of the non sequitur and the irrelevant. But let’s forgive Noynoy for another faux pax; incoherence might have something to do with what he said was his one-day abstinence from chain smoking while the Pope is here.
I actually told myself that I won’t be writing a column for today’s issue in deference to the papal visit. I was going to leave to the religious experts and the theologians the matter of essaying the Holy Father’s messages But there are certain things that must not be allowed to go unchallenged lest the powerful feel they are right and continue being smug.
The Pope delivered his homily in English and his message resonated with those who were present during his call at the presidential palace. To the millions watching the live telecast, Pope Francis’ call for sharing society’s wealth with those who have less in life also found traction with critics of the Aquino administration who have accused it for failing to provide inclusive growth even as it touts a booming economy.
Pope Francis will fly to Tacloban, Leyte today for the primary purpose of his visit—that of celebrating Mass for the victims of apocalyptic typhoon Yolanda and consoling them. He will most probably find a people who are resilient in the wake of a great calamity that had taken more than 10,000 lives counting those who are still missing and given up for dead.
It will be in Tacloban and Palo, Leyte where the Holy Father will most probably walk among his flock and listen to harrowing stories of death and desolation. And of government neglect. It has been a year and three months since Yolanda’s wrath swept eastern Visayas and the government has had enough time to rebuild lives and properties destroyed by one of the strongest storms ever recorded in history. It would be a great embarrassment if the Aquino administration had not done its job considering the tremendous amount of relief and reconstruction aid received from foreign donors and the government’s own resources.
At the end of Pope Francis’ five- day visit and when the pope leaves for Rome, we can assume it will be business as usual for our politicians after observing a period of piety. Don’t expect the Philistines to repent and return their loot to the national treasury for distribution to the poor. That would be asking too much of our politicians who do not know the meaning of repentance, restitution and redemption.
While we cannot expect our government leaders to mend their ways, the papal visit will be remembered for the tremendous outpouring of affection for the Holy Father from the moment Pope Francis emerged from the door of the Sri Lankan plane that landed at Villamor Air Base to the hundreds of thousands that lined the route of his motorcade going to the Nunciature on Taft Avenue.
It was already dark when the papal entourage arrived and the Pope might not have actually seen how big the crowd was that came to welcome him. But he will know how much he is loved and revered in this Catholic stronghold in Asia when he celebrates Mass at the Luneta Park tomorrow. Millions are expected to attend.
Let us also pray that a gathering storm is not visited upon Leyte again while Pope Francis is there, otherwise he might actually live the experience of those who had weathered and survived typhoon Yolanda.