Sunday Times 2
Francis: The charismatic Pope
It was October 17, 2014. The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on Family which attracted so much world attention was about to be wound up. It being a non-working day for the Synod, most of the Asian bishop-participants of the Synod were having their special Central Committee (CC) meeting of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) at the Philippines embassy attached to the Vatican, just a few steps away from Casa di Santa Marta where Pope Francis lives.
I too had the privilege of being present at that meeting as the specially appointed secrtary to keep the minutes. All of us were informed beforehand that in spite of his busy schedule that particular week (with the Synod reaching its conclusion the following day, with the Beatification of Pope Paul VI two days thereafter, and with so many bishops from all over the world having appointments with him, one after the other,…etc.), Pope Francis had agreed to give a special brief audience for the CC participants, at 10 am at Casa di Santa Marta. It was organised, thanks to the good offices of Antonio Luis Cardinal Tagle of Manila. So, the idea was to adjourn the special CC meeting around 9.55 am, and then, walk up for the special papal audience.
Pope Francis holds a baby during his weekly general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican January 7, 2015. Reuters
However, as the CC meeting was well into its first hour, suddenly the hand phone of Oswald Cardinal Gracias of Mumbai (who was presiding over the meeting) rang. It was around 9.45 am, and some of us who were seated closer to Cardinal Gracias could hear the voice at the other end of the line saying in Italian: “Sua Eminenza,…Papa sta giá aspettando per voi. Sbrigatevi per favore! (Your Eminence,…the Pope is already waiting for you! Please hurry up!)”.
The CC meeting was abruptly suspended and all of us rushed to Casa di Santa Marta within just five minutes. And there His Holiness was waiting at the entrance of Casa di Santa Marta sporting a broad smile. As we entered, the Pope cordially welcomed us with a warm shake-hand, as if we mattered to him so much! Then, he informally spoke about the mission of evangelisation in Asia and its importance, and assured his closeness and prayers for all the churches in Asia in fulfilling their mission. He reminded us that he had already been to Asia (to Korea just the previous month) and also that he would soon be going to Asia again: to Sri Lanka and to the Philippines, and said he was looking forward to those trips eagerly. At the request of Cardinal Gracias (President of the FABC), the Pope then imparted his Apostolic Blessing on all of us gathered there and on the different Churches in Asia that were represented. Since he had to meet the visiting Prime Minister of Korea, immediately thereafter, he bade goodbye, again greeting each of us with a warm shakehand and a broad smile.
In my life thus far, I had been to many audiences and meetings with both ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries in many parts of the world, but I must say with all sincerity that at none of those precious moments of my life had the dignitaries concerned been so much at ease, so informal, so human, as Pope Francis was during this particular audience. To begin with, there were no airs put on, nor were there those empty (and at times ridiculous!) formalities that one normally encounters on such occasions. Here was Pope Francis, the Universal Visible Shepherd of the Church, the Vicar of Christ on earth, meeting the shepherds of the local churches and those who were helping them. It was simply a meeting of a human person with other human persons, but with this unique difference, by his very simple, sincere and informal conduct, the Pope not only showed what a great personality he is, but also automatically earned respect for himself as a person.
Yes, he did not demand respect by virtue of his office as Pope, but earned it through his very human personality, warmth and conduct! Only those who are real men of God and those who have healthy personalities with a sane self-image could afford to be so, and that’s exactly what Pope Francis is. Thousands upon thousands of persons who had met him as Pope during the past 20 months or so, have shared the same personal experience, and it is this experience that has taken the world by storm, since he was elected as the Successor of St.Peter in March 2013.
A Pope of the people
Jesus Christ came to liberate people from the evil ways and to show them the right path to walk. He established his Church to continue that liberation work down through the ages. He appointed St. Peter as his visible representative here on earth, and that’s what all the Successors of Peter (Bishops of Rome) are expected to be. They are first and foremost to be at the people’s side, and then, lead them along the way that Jesus has already shown, just as a good shepherd leads his sheep. Pope Francis who as the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires used to travel daily by bus and do his own cooking, often has been insisting that bishops and priests all over the world as shepherds of the flock (the sheep) of Jesus Christ need to be so close to them (the sheep) in such a way that they familiarise themselves with them, be in solidarity with them, not above them. To put it in his famous words, he wants them to get “the smell of the sheep” (l’odore delle pecore), by going into the sheepfold, being with the sheep, sharing their joys and sorrows, rather than sitting in comfortable places or even inside the sanctuary of the church. In his very first visit to the Cathedral of San Rufino, Asssi, on October 4, 2013, in a memorable speech he expressed exactly the same sentiments colourfully when he said:
“This, I have been repeatedly saying: to walk with our people, at times in front of them, at times in their midst and at times behind them: in front of them, to guide the community; in the midst of them, to encourage and sustain them; behind them, to keep them together in unity so that no one should be too far behind; and also for another reason: to have ‘the smell’ (il fiuto) of the people, to have their sense, because people normally have the sense for new ways to walk; they have the sense of the faith which theologians call ‘sensus fidei’.”
The Pope’s oft-repeated call urging bishops and priests to reach out to people is vividly expressed also in Evangelii Gaudium No: 49 where he repeats what he has been already telling the priests of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires when he was the Archbishop there: “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security”!
Extraordinary love for the poor
Our present Pope is the only Successor of Peter to choose the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi, the great friend of the poor who first founded a religious congregation that was to earn its own living by begging (mendicanti). One of the main characteristics that defines Pope Francis is his love for the poor and the marginalised, a clear trait of a real man of God. It is almost impossible to read any of his discourses or homilies without finding a reference to them, always in their favour. Even in his papal audiences, he always gives a special place to the poor, the sick, the marginalised, and makes it a point to break all formal/security arrangements and reach out to them and have a word with them, often a word of encouragement and prayer that often end in a blessing.
After becoming Pope, he refused to live in the magnificent Apostolic Papal Palace in the Vatican, the official residence of Popes, and opted to live at Casa di Santa Marta. Immediately after his assuming of office as Pope, one of the first things he did was to make one of the papal ceremonial liturgists an Archbishop, and put him in charge of doing charity to the poor in Rome. This writer personally heard from Arcbishop Konrad Krajewske himself that the Pope told him in plain language: “Don’t be wasting your precious time hanging around me for all these liturgical, ceremonial rubrics, but go…. and attend to the poor around us here in Rome, on behalf of me and the Church”! It is now public knowledge that the gifts the Pope receives often end up with the poor through Archbishop Krajewske’s pastoral activities in Rome.
Calling a spade a spade!
Another clear characteristic of this Pope is his boldness to proclaim the gospel values, and as he often says, to do so with joy and with humour — after all, it is a gospel of joy, not a gospel of anxiety or worry that imparts on people unbearable burdens! Just as Jesus, the prophet, was in his day, our present Pope has no time for diplomacy and duplicity. Since he has nothing to hide or no need to hoodwink others, he is honest to himself, and expresses his convictions in his words and deeds without any inhibition whatsoever. There is no hypocrisy in him, and the world (irrespective of religious differences) has clearly seen this in Pope Francis, and respects him for that. Only a God-fearing, truthful and convinced person could afford do this, and that is what Pope Francis is!
Continuing the spirit of the Second Vatican Council
This, to me is the greatest contribution this Pope is making for our Church, and history will not forget his unique role in bringing back to the Church that spirit of the Early Church which the Second Vatican Council tried to revive. His sincere intention not to govern the Church on his own, unilaterally and dictatorially, but together with the College of Bishops, is a clear illustration of this. After all, our Catholic faith tells us that Jesus entrusted his authority not just to St. Peter alone, but to the Twelve Apostles headed by Peter. One of Pope Francis’ efforts to revive and re-live this genuine ecclesial spirit is his appointment of Eight Cardinals representing all the continents of the world as a primary group of advisers to him in making basic Church reforms, beginning with the Vatican Curia (This group of Cardinals was later expanded to nine members, now known as G-9).
Moreover, the recent Synod itself (which was the first under this papacy) is a clear re-enactment of this spirit which was so evident in the Second Vatican Council, itself. In his very opening speech to this Synod comprising bishop-representatives from all over the world, Pope Francis encouraged them to speak freely. He wished to exercise his responsibility as the Successor of Peter, but together with the College of Bishops, and not in isolation, in his own right, so that the true voice of the Holy Spirit (promised by Jesus to the Church) could be clearly heard, discerned and listened to. This “new” attitude of enhanced collegiality of bishops is surely a recovery of what the Second Vatican Council taught with regard to the exercising of the Church’s supreme authority to teach in and through the Successor of Peter in communion with the College of Bishops (cfr., Lumen Gentium, Nos:22,23).
Conclusion
Out of so many Asian countries, he chose Sri Lanka for a papal visit (overlooking even such a giant of a nation like India!). So, all of us Sri Lankans (especially the Catholics) should go out of our way not only to welcome this charismatic Pope but also to pray for him daily. Anyone who carefully scrutinises his words either when he meets people (personally or in groups) or when he ends his discourses, will surely notice his one and only request: “please pray for me”! Not only as the Vicar of Christ in general, but as this particular Vicar of Christ who is in the midst of so many contemporary challenges (both within and without the Church), Pope Francis surely deserves our daily prayers! Welcome to Sri Lanka dear Pope Francis!