One year on, Pope Francis' visit a blessing and a challenge for the Filipino Catholic faithful

A year has passed since the papal visit, a spiritual event that saw the nation eager to track Pope Francis' every word.

How clearly are those words remembered and how well were they lived, a year later?

For OFM National SA Fr. Joe Litigia, a Fransican priest from St. Anthony Shrine in Sampaloc, the effect is vivid even from a lay perspective. In his own parish, he noted, "Mas naging maalab ang pananampalataya."

Aside from the fortification of faith experienced by Catholics attending mass, Fr. Litigia said that as a retreat master, he saw the renewed enthusiasm of his Brothers and Sisters to become better Catholics. The papal visit, according to him, bequeathed faithfuls with a challenge and an opportunity to introspect on their weakness.

Fr. Mike Garcia, executive secretary of the CBCP committee on International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), echoed this in an interview with Mariz Umali on GMA News TV’s News To Go on Friday

"It is a blessing at the same time a challenge sa atin ngayon na ma-sustain sana natin mga Pilipino iyong tinanggap natin na biyaya na natanggap natin mula sa Santo Papa. Iyong mercy and compassion," he said.

"Patuloy naman ata tayo nagsisikap na maisabuhay iyan lalo na ngayon taon na idineklara ng Santo Papa na Extraordinary Year of Mercy kaya tuluy-tuloy iyong ating pagsikap na maisabuhay iyong mensahe ng mercy and compassion," he added.

Pope Francis arrived in Manila last year to lead various activities including a visit to Tacloban City, which was badly hit by super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

"I am here to be with you. A little bit late, I have to say, but I am here. I come to tell you that Jesus is Lord and He never lets us down," he told the crowd at a mass for the victims of Yolanda while another storm battered the city.

Garcia also noticed that many devotees experienced "spiritual high" during this period.

"Siguro may mga personal na mga bagay na nangyari sa bawat isa, sa mga indibidwal. Meron din sigurong sabihin natin na komyunal. In a nutshell, alam ko na kahit papaano meron siyang impact," he said.

Good Catholics

While many consider themselves good Catholics, Fr. Litigia passed along the Pope's challenge to examine what the phrase really means.

"Maraming ang 'saradong' Katoliko, o yung Katolikong 'sarado' ang puso," he said. "Hindi dapat 'sagradong saradong Katoliko'. Dapat maging Katolikong may kabukasan."

Fr. Litigia stressed that the stance of the Church has not changed, but he cheerfully shared that as servants of God, they are compelled to thrive on tolerance: "If God can forgive, who are we to judge?"

"Ang imoralidad ay imoralidad pa rin," he said, but explained that Pope Francis highlighted the importance of forgiveness and going beyond the human capacity for understanding.

"Mahirap magpatawad, kaya dapat hanapan ng dahilan para magpatawad. Si Hesus, pinatawad niya ang mga nagpahirap sa kaniya dahil inunawa niya na wala sila sa kanilang sarili. Paano ka magagalit sa taong baliw?"

Do as Christ did still stands as a mantra and Fr. Litigia believes that papal visit reminded people that their faith puts them on higher ground—allowing, or rather, daring them to always be the bigger person. —Aya Tantiangco and Trisha Macas/JST, GMA News