Local church leaders, new pope’s name well-chosen

CEBU, Philippines - The name Francis meant humility and heart for service.

This was how local church leaders described the name chosen by the very first non-European born pontiff, Pope Francis.

Local Jesuit academician Fr. Ernesto Javier said the name both refers to Saints Francis de Assisi and Francis Xavier.

“The name is very apt. His new name carries the simplicity of St. Francis of Assisi and the evangelical zeal of St. Francis Xavier,” Javier said.

Archdiocese of Cebu Episcopal Vicar and Canon lawyer Msgr. Esteban Binghay shared the same opinion and analysis as Javier’s.

“He used St. Francis Xavier’s name being the first Jesuit missionary sent to the East. We are also celebrating the year of evangelization. Assisi because of simplicity, the lifestyle he leads is very simple. The Jesuits are all trained to be like that,” Binghay said.

Apart from being the first Pope hailing from a third-world country, Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio is also the first Jesuit priest to ascend to the position.

Local church leaders proudly shared the virtues displayed by the newly-elected Pope, evident of his Jesuit formation.

Binghay also described the Jesuits to be famous for their wisdom, “without prejudice to other congregation,” and considered the great defenders of the Church.

“The Jesuits were the ones guarding the church from civil intrusion and from reformation,” Javier said.

Parish priest of Sacred Heart Parish Fr. Jason Dy said being a Jesuit makes the new Pope a good leader.

“Formation is important. Because is he is a Jesuit, that’s his strength,” Dy said.

Javier said he did not expect that Bergoglio to win considering he was not included in the initial list of Papabile.

“He was not even in the top 10 list. We could not even call him an underdog because little, if no, discussion was done on him,” Dy added.

Both Jesuit priests said their congregation does not plan a grand thanksgiving activity to live up to congregation founder St. Ignatius, who wanted the simplest life for his congregation.

“We will be celebrating in our simplest way of continued prayer for the new Pope and the church,” Javier said.

“We will have a series of thanksgiving mass here at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. In fact, the mass that I officiated today (Thursday) was for the special intentions of Pope Francis I,” Dy added.

With a new Pope, church leaders urged the Catholics to pray for the church and our new leader.

“As members of the church, it is our responsibility to pray for the church and do our share of living our lives according to God’s word,” Binghay said.

Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, in a TV interview, described the new Pope as “a simple man and approachable.”  The retired, non-voting prelate said he had the chance to talk to him since Vidal speaks Spanish.

The new Pope, he added, is “intellectually prepared, and can balance the administrative work at the Vatican” and being from a fellow third-world country, he can relate with the problems and crises that the Philippines is experiencing.

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that having the first non-European pope is a signal that the Church is really a Universal Church.

“The significance of having the first non-European pope to us Filipinos is that it simply shows that it is a signal that the Church is really a Universal Church,” Palma said.

With the pope coming from the Latin America, Palma said that it is an appreciation and one way of proclaiming to the world that the cardinals are really looking around.

“What is important is that this new papabile will be able to respond to the challenges of the contemporary world and is one with the Holy Spirit in the fulfillment of God’s love,” Palma said.

Fr. Jonas Mejares, the new rector of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, also a canon lawyer, said that having a non-European pope brings a new face of the Catholic Church.

“It brings a new face of the Catholic Church. With it, I hope and I pray that he can introduce some changes to the papacy that could certainly address the number of challenges facing it now and in the future,” Mejares said.

 â€œI was moved when he bowed down and asked for blessing and prayers from the faithful before he gave his first papal blessing. This is a message of humility, and perhaps, is telling us his humble service to the Universal Church, that this new pope is imparting to us,” said Fr. Charles Jayme, the official custodian of the pilgrim image of San Pedro Calungsod.

Meanwhile, Msgr. Achilles Dakay said he is not convinced by reports that the new Pope takes the public transportation and cooks his own food.

“Di ko mutuo ana. Tungod lang kay kamao siya moluto, moluto na siya sa iyang pagkaon. Mosakay siya’g bus… Di sab ko motuo ana nga kadaghan sa higayon mosakay siya og bus. Duna siya’y palasyo, di siya mopuyo didto… Tingali duna lang gyud siya;y laing puluy-anan kung mag R and R siya. Di ko motuo uy nga ang Buenos Aires di maikog mupasakay niya og bus, duna na sila’y awto. Kana sab luto, kamao sya muluto sa iyang pagkaon, di ko motuo ana na uy,” Dakay said in a radio interview.

He went on to say that to make the priests ride the public transportation and not owning a car is unacceptable.

“Sobra ra sab na kaayo nga pasakyon nalang mi tanan ug Ceres (bus), di sab na mao. Ang palasyo diri di nalang gyud ni puy-an, di na sab na mao. Kamao lang siya mopuyo gawas sa palasyo, kamao siya mosakay kung maabiriya iyang awto, kamao siya moluto kung walay laing moluto. Ana ba,” he added.  –(FREEMAN)