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In his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis has become a beacon of mercy amidst criticism, embracing inclusivity and reform in the church
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful… Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:36-37) Reflecting on these sayings from Jesus Christ, I cannot help but think of Pope Francis who is currently recovering from sickness. Last March 13, we celebrated his 12th anniversary of election as Pope. I could still remember watching him on television appearing on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time.
I was in high school back then and that scene of the Pope wearing a simple attire and asking for the prayers of the people left a deep impression on me. I strongly sensed that this Pope would carry out significant reforms in the Church. Indeed, Pope Francis ushered in a pastoral revolution of mercy!
In his Christmas greeting to the Roman Curia last year, Pope Francis emphasized God’s merciful nature: “The Incarnation of the Word shows us that God has not condemned us but blessed us. What is more, it reveals to us that in God there is no condemnation, but only and always blessing.” He cited St. Catherine of Siena to reinforce this image of God: “It seems that [God] desires not to remember our offences, or to condemn us to eternal damnation, but to show us constant mercy.”
Among the Pope’s speeches and actions, I would like to share two memorable incidents wherein he showed mercy instead of judgment and condemnation. First, speaking to reporters on a flight back from Brazil in 2013, early in his papacy, his comment on gays made headlines: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”
Juan Carlos Cruz Chellew, a Chilean-born abuse survivor, gay Catholic and member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, said of Pope Francis: “My friends, family and so many people I know have never felt more welcome in the church than when Pope Francis proclaims that the church is for everyone: Todos, todos, todos! It’s a message that perfectly defines him.” Without changing any doctrine or moral teaching in the succeeding years, the Pope, starting from this positively received remark, fostered an inclusive and welcoming space for the LGBTQI+ community in the Church.
The other one is his highly significant letter to the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández in July 2023. The Pope explicitly mentioned that this office used “immoral methods” in the past. A number of theologians were unjustly censored and condemned. Instead of a healthy dialogue, a climate of fear reigned in which doctrinal errors were pursued like witch-hunting. Gone are these days with Pope Francis who values fraternity, who reached out to a few theologians who got in trouble with Rome.
In the letter, he reminded Archbishop Fernandez that the task of his office is “to guard the teaching that flows from the faith in order to ‘to give reasons for our hope, but not as an enemy who critiques and condemns.’” Peter Phan, a Vietnamese theologian, another theologian targeted by the doctrinal office, shared this story that touched me in his book titled The Joy of Religious Pluralism: A Personal Journey:
“One of the Asian theologians who had been censured by the CDF under the previous regime recently told me that Pope Francis met him shortly after his official ‘dialogue’ with Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the current Prefect of the CDF, on his writings. To his immense delight, the pope thanked my friend for his theological contributions and encouraged him to continue his work. The CDF’s power as the doctrinal watchdog, it seems, has been severely curtailed under Pope Francis.”
Besides Pope Francis, my apostolate in L’Arche Punla at Cainta, Rizal is inspiring and forming me to expand my heart to mercifully gaze on the infinite dignity of the human person. In a world which marginalizes the differently-abled and those who suffer from debilitating conditions, the L’Arche community stands as a counter-cultural example.
In L’Arche, I personally witnessed how the core members are valued and provided a safe space to enrich their humanity by allowing them to be who they are. I consider L’Arche as a great blessing in my life for it is a school of authentic mercy. L’Arche in English means “The Ark” in reference to Noah’s Ark. We all know that in God’s ark there is no judgement and condemnation, only mercy and forgiveness, and we are all invited to join God’s ark.
Pope Francis needs our whole-hearted support and prayers. Sadly, hardline conservatives and traditionalists have waged a war against the Pope’s focus on God’s mercy over legalism and dogmatism. The resistance according to Vatican analyst Christopher Lamb “comes from modern-day ‘scribes and Pharisees,’ those who attacked and criticized Jesus for his radical life and message.”
Lamb compares Pope Francis to Jesus Christ who was vehemently criticized because he was too merciful like the Father: “Like Jesus, Francis has managed to outrage and anger senior figures in the religious establishment; like Jesus, the pope has won himself loyal followers but also aroused equally strong opposing forces; and, like Jesus, he faces misunderstanding and unfair accusations.” May the Lord replace our “hearts of stone” with “hearts of flesh.” (Ezekiel 26:36) – Rappler.com
