The new pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis finally dropped the bomb on our pretentious clergymen–’Catholics need to see in our actions what they hear from our lips.’

This was Pope Francis’s message to the priests in a Mass last Sunday marking the formal takeover of one of the Vatican’s basilicas. Simply put, Pope Francis is telling the priests to walk the talk.

It has been highly publicized that Pope Francis lives a humble and frugal life and he wants to set himself as an example of that. Many times he has refused the many trappings of the papacy including living in the Vatican hotel rather than the Aposolic Palace and wearing a simple white cassock rather than a fancy vestment, which popes are known to wear.

Pope Francis says it is important for the priests to do this because it is the church’s credibility that is at stake.

Us Catholics grew up to the teaching of Christ. Being one with the poor, being a church for the poor. But seldom do we see these priests living a humble life.

Pope Francis is calling it ‘inconsistent’

“Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is undermining the church’s credibility,” the pope told AP.

This has really given me hope about the church. Priests most especially will now be chastised in the eyes of their parishioners should they try and live against the church teachings.

The Pope’s move on reforming the Vatican and the Catholics is very much commendable. These inconsistencies have been one of the many reasons why a lot of Catholics deviate from their faith.

The priests, by whom we entrust our faith to, should really start cleaning up their acts and follow the footsteps of our Pope in order for the faithful to keep their trust.

Categories: Religion | Comments Off

How often do we hear complaints, even from religious zealots, that priests or those in the religious order, sometimes, live rather extravagant lives.

In the Philippines where they are put in a pedestal, the priests are considered guests of honor in celebrations the are invited in, they drive the most swanky cars, have the nicest clothes and even have the most top of the lie gadgets. All these after preaching in church and communities about living a Christ-like life.

Jesus was a simple guy. He was a carpenter’s son. But a lot of these priests are NOT walking the talk.

In one of the churches here in Cebu City, Philippines, the Redemptorist, which is frequented by the rich church goers, actually shooed away a group of sidewalk vendors who were selling in a space near their parking lot.

They said they were going to use the space. But as it turns out, they just put a fence around it and is not being used at all.

I grew up around nuns having been schooled in an all-girls school until college. And I have seen how these sisters preached about solidarity with the poor but are so snotty they actually look down on the poor.

The election of Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as the new pope of the Catholic Church was actually a breath of fresh air for me.

He is now called Pope Francis after St. Francis of Assisi, who advocates for a poor church, for the poor.

It has also been widely reported that Pope Francis lives a simple life and even takes the public transport to go around town from his place, which by the way, not in a palatial archbishop’s palace, but from a small apartment. He wants the church to follow by his example.

This will really put our Catholic Church to a test.

Will out priests, used to living a life of extravagance take heed of the new pope’s call?

This, I got to see.

Categories: Religion | Comments Off