Photo by Eve Jazmine Ligaya/ THE FLAME
THE CHURCH can earn people’s trust if it remains transparent particularly on its shortcomings and misconduct involving its members, a Dominican priest said.
In his homily during the memorial mass in honor of the late Pope Francis, acting UST parish priest Fr. Isidro Abaño, O.P. said the former pontiff had taught that the foundation of hope and mercy is rooted on the Church’s means to earn the trust of its people.
“For Pope Francis, that trust is only possible if the Church is transparent, hiding nothing, particularly the shortcomings and scandals committed by the members,” Abaño said at the Santisimo Rosario Parish church on Wednesday, April 23.
Building this trust, Abaño said, is necessary for the world to accept the Church’s message of hope.
“This became the foundation of some of the reforms and changes in the organizations he (Pope Francis) implemented during his pontificate,” he said.
Among the reforms introduced by the late Argentine pope were abolishing the pontifical secret in clergy abuse cases to promote transparency and modernizing the Church’s financial systems.
Abaño emphasized that true mercy comes from recognizing one’s own sinfulness, while consistently calling for compassion toward the poor, the vulnerable and those who were neglected by society.
“For [Pope Francis], the Church must be open to all of them,” he said.
Abaño also cited Pope Francis’ vision of a Church that goes beyond enforcing rules and laws and welcomes a suffering and wounded humanity.
Pope Francis, the Catholic Church’s first Latin American leader, died on Easter Monday, April 21, concluding a papacy that championed radical reforms, inclusivity and social justice.
As head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis concurrently served as the administrator of pontifical universities, including UST. F – Rachelle Anne Mirasol
