Many Fil-Ams pin hopes for positive changes in the Catholic Church on Pope Francis 

High hopes for the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope sprang from Catholics and former members of the Church of Peter in the United States.

 

Argentine native Jorge Maria Bergoglio was elected March 12 to lead 1.2 billion Catholics including a multitude of Filipinos around the world.  He was formally installed March 19 before some 200,000 faithful gathered at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, where he vowed to serve “the poorest…least important.”

 

As Cardinal Bergoglio, he was known as champion of the impoverished.  The 76-year-old former Archbishop of Buenos Aires at his inauguration echoed his longtime promise to “embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important.” 

 

The new pope set a tone that impressed Filipino Americans on the East and West coasts.  

“The Holy Father asked us to be ‘protectors’ of creation, of one another, especially the poor, and of the environment,” Bel Molina of New York told Philippine News.  “I believe that in essence, he calls each one of us to action and to not simply rely on the government. His message resonated with me, product of a Jesuit school (Ateneo de Manila), as we have been taught to be ‘men and women for others.’” 

 

Molina, president of the 50-year-old humanitarian organization JCI-New York praised Francis I’s position in “relation to women.”

 

“His message touches upon protecting the right to life of all innocent human beings,” she said.  “I hope that the positive messages he has articulated will be embraced and implemented in a deeper sense.”

 

Then-Cardinal Bergoglio was known as an adversary of contraception and euthanasia.  As pope he called on global powers to protect “God’s creation,” reinforcing his pro-life message.   

The pope gets to wear the “Fisherman’s Ring” honoring St. Peter, described in the Bible as a fisherman, in time of great turbulence within the Church.  

He arrived in the face of vociferous calls for reform to the Vatican bureaucracy and immediate and decisive action against the child sex abuse by priests.

The pope left questions about suspected complicity in the 1976 political torture and assassinations of clergy in his native land, which the Vatican has consistently and vigorously denied.  He is known to have supported the process initiated in 2011 to canonize two Catholic priests and a layman murdered during Argentina's military regime, according to Agence France Presse.  Bergoglio headed the Argentine bishops conference at the time.

 

An influential member of the LGBTQ (Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender) community in the San Francisco Bay Area gave excellent marks for the conclave’s choice.

 

"As an openly-gay, Filipino Jewish man, I congratulate the Vatican on the selection of Pope Francis,” said Robert Bernardo, the only known out elected gay male FilAm in the Northern California.  “ I am truly encouraged by his emphasis on the universal qualities of humility and simplicity.”

 

Bernardo also has high expectations.

 

“He has a major task of healing the damaged relationship with both the gay community and women's groups while at the same time restoring the credibility of the church when it comes to sexual abuse victims,” Bernardo told PNews.

“Pope Francis definitely inherited many problems including the challenge of bringing about reforms and doctrinal updates that could help the Catholic Church conform to the current demands and expectations of our modern world,” concurred Soledad Manaay- Hayden. “His affinity to the poor is certainly promising considering that majority of the Catholic faithful are poor. It would be great if he can effect meaningful social changes. As of now, he brings forth new hope but let us not forget that he is just as human as we all are.”  

The San Mateo, California-based gerontologist likes what she has learned about the new pope.

“From my readings he is depicted an admirable character by refusing the usual extravaganza that comes with the usual papal inauguration and the perks that come with his rank. His being from Latin America is certainly refreshing and is a sign of the Church being inclusive and progressive,” note Manaay-Hayden, who is working on her doctorate in international psychology. 

“Viva il Papa,” exulted Pastor Rev. Mark Reburiano of St. Isabella Church in San Rafael, California.

 

Reburiano spent 10 years in Rome as a student at the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University.  Bergoglio’s election, he said,  signals “a big positive change for the Universal Church. ” 

 

“I'm glad the Cardinal electors have chosen somebody with so much pastoral experience and a Franciscan-Ignatian spirituality that our Church needs because of the complexity of the situations in the world.” 

 

The new pontiff’s style reportedly pales in pomp and pageantry to any of his recent predecessors.  He surprised visitors March 17 when he walked out of the side gate of the Vatican, spurring cheers as he shook hands and kissed babies.

 

One of the pope’s first formal meetings was with Argentine President Cristina Hernandez Kirschner, who appealed for papal mediation in the re-simmering Malvinas (to Argentina) - Falklands (to the United Kingdom) row.

 

Francis I also had a close encounter with Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay, with whom he exchanged warm greetings at the installation rites.

 

Early reports of Francis I’s activities “confirm” his philosophy, said vice chair of Archdiocese of San Francisco Pastoral Council.  Hizon said she was “astounded” by the name selected by the new pope as “all that I know of St. Francis of Assisi immediately poured in.”

 

“He lives a life inspired by St. Francis:  simply and humbly, a man of peace, loving God's creation,” said Hizon, recipient of the Benemerenti Medal, a papal award and the highest honor given to a lay person for service to the Church. “In doing so, he proclaims the Gospel more than words could say.  We follow Pope Francis' activities during the week and we see a humble, gentle soul.  Remember the silent blessing he gave to the journalists and media persons, respecting their conscience, but blessing them as God's creation.”

 

Hizon said she believes divine intervention delivered the new pope.  

 

“The Holy Spirit sends us Pope Francis to reinvigorate our faith through examples of simplicity, humility and gentleness, like St. Francis seeing his ‘Beloved’ in all of creation.”

 

Born and raised Catholic, Jesuit-educated community activist Guy Guerrero has a different take.

 

“They got a hold of my psyche early and I'm still searching for answers,” the Burlingame, California resident responded to PNews’ casual poll on the pope. “Like they say, "Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.”  - Philippine News