The Politics of the Pope

-

 

Pope Leo XIV worked as a missionary priest. He was the Superior General of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA). He was the Prefect of the Discastery for Bishops at the Vatican, the office in charge of the appointment of new bishops. Previously, Robert Frevost served for two decades in Peru and then back to his native Chicago. The new leader of the 1.4 billion strong Catholic Church said he seeks to build bridges and also foster dialogue with other religions and world leaders. He mentioned Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum as an inspiration. 

The Pope has a degree in mathematics and divinity. He was formally accepted to pursue a doctorate at Harvard but instead chose to work in Peru as a missionary. The election of Cardinal Robert Frevost has nothing to do with his being American, says the New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. He is passionate about the cause for migrants and in helping them during difficult times. The Pope is also critical of President Donald Trump's policies on migration. Emphasizing synodality, Pope Leo XIV has said he wants to walk with the faithful. 

Politics is unavailable but this doesn't mean that the new pope is a political person. The world is faced with uncertain wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Vladimir Putin wants to annex a part of Ukraine while Benjamin Netanyahu is hell-bent on destroying Hamas and annihilating Palestine. Trump has failed to broker immediate peace or even ceasefire agreements among the conflicting parties in the two wars. Meanwhile, in the US, Trump's tough immigration policy has been severely criticized for rights abuses. In due time, we expect the pontiff to clash with Trump and the MAGA movement. 

Pope Leo XIV is expected to continue the strong position of Pope Francis on environmental protection and the concern for the poor. In a different vein, there are criticisms in the way the new pontiff handled sex abuses by some members of the clergy in Chicago. He is also seen as a moderate when it comes to issues on gender and same-sex marriage. It is safe to say that the new pontiff represents the universal mission of the Church, connecting peoples and nations in a tumultuous and uncertain world. 

- Christopher Ryan Maboloc, PhD 

Popular posts from this blog

Gazing into the Abyss of Political Decay

-
Image
By Prof. Menelito Mansueto (MSU-IIT)  There's a circus in town but we need to know who the real clowns are. The desecration of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is a manifestation of the way power politics operates in this country. The recent attacks on VP Sara Duterte is not very different from the old style of character assassinations. But it is KOJC Pastor Apollo Quiboloy who has become the proxy in the war between the House of Marcos and the House of Duterte. Now is the season of politics.  The storyline goes to show that once again Philippine democracy is the loser. Instead of spending on infrastructure such as the Mindanao railway or the Cebu - Bohol Bridge, billions of funds in the form of ayuda are used for politicking. We are wasting public resources on bad political habits and practices. The government is functioning like an organized crime syndicate where stealing public money has become rampant. But the story extends further.  What is appalling is that those who que...
Read more

Power and Politics: The Limits of Legality

-
Image
  By Givheart Dano "Let the court decide." These words have been echoing, attempting to balance the tremors of today's issue regarding Duterte’s arrest. Legal minds have tried to justify this, yet their opinions remain divided, it all comes down to how they interpret the law. However, the truth about Duterte’s fate in the face of justice has yet to be determined, as the ICC has not yet rendered its judgment. The ICC claims to be the entity that will bring justice for crimes committed in his own country. But one may ask: why outside his own land? Of course, returning to the legal perspective, the ICC still has jurisdiction despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the court during Duterte’s presidency. This withdrawal does not strip the ICC of its jurisdiction, as cases were already filed before the withdrawal took effect, allowing the ICC to retain its authority. However, even among the judges in The Hague (ICC), opinions are divided on the question of jurisdiction, which ...
Read more

The Different Types of Filipino Masses: From EDSA to Duterte

-
Image
  By Oliver Perater  Former President Duterte and Former President Marcos Sr. have something in common, both awakened the Sleeping Political Consciousness of the Filipino Masses. The former, however, made the masses rally behind his back while the latter made the masses rally against him. The Edsa People Power masses were driven by pure disgust for the former president Marcos. It was merely a phenomenon to remove him and his cronies without offering a better replacement. At that time, people seemed willing to allow anyone to lead the country except Marcos and his allies. In fact, it was a chance for the Communist Party of the Philippines to seize political power, but they failed to listen to the sentiments of the masses. People were never as involved in elections as when Duterte started to participate in national politics. Actively supporting a politician without being paid is a new phenomenon. Filipino participation in elections before Duterte was not as personal as it is now...
Read more