The Simplicity and Humility of Pope Francis

I would like to describe here in detail certain aspects of that privileged moment when I concelebrated with Pope Francis in the chapel of Santa Martha inside the Vatican. That moment occurred on 25 May 2013. Those aspects showed external signs of the Pope’s simplicity and humility. They touched me to the core.

After entering the lobby leading to the chapel, a priest in black cassock beckoned me to follow him while a lay man guided my 2 sisters and 3 nieces together with Father Junar to go inside the chapel. The priest, who introduced himself as the Pope’s secretary, gave his name which I cannot now recall, is from Argentina and in Spanish led me to the table near the sacristy door to don the Mass vestments.

Already vested beside the  table was an elderly priest who smilingly surprised me with “Capalla” and in Italian reminded me he was a secretary at the Manila Nunciature in the late 60’s and who, I found out later, is now a retired cardinal.

Ten minutes before 7am, the scheduled time for the Mass, the Pope’s secretary whispered to me to go inside the sacristy to be with the Pope. Why he did not invite the cardinal surprised me. I was more surprised upon realizing that I was alone with the Holy Father who was seated in a chair with bowed head in prayer. I waited for a few seconds; then he stood up and with a beaming smile stretched out his hands and firmly grasped mine in welcome. The entire welcoming gesture made me feel I was being awaited for some time and the aura around his smiling face seemed to say he was grateful that I could come. I don’t know what it was; It was different, just different, from the way Pope John Paul 11 and Benedict XVI warmly welcomed us bishops. It was utterly personal. I was touched.

During Mass, which was all in Italian, only the elderly cardinal and myself were at the altar with the Pope. The other concelebrating priests, about 10, were with a small number of lay people in front. It surprised me to notice there was neither MC dressed in purple nor altar servers in surplices. Two middle aged men wearing working clothes served the wine and water. But the liturgy was all meaningful and beautiful in its simplicity.  The absence of protocol, especially for women some of whom were in slacks, was easily noticed. I noticed a TV camera, Vatican television I thought, and minutes later his remarkable homily, I found out later, was all over the world through internet

After the Mass the Holy Father, to my great surprise, sat in a chair near the pew where my 3 nieces were seated and made his thanksgiving prayer with bowed head. It was something new and just edifying. This is the first time I saw a pope doing this with people. My niece Binky, who works as a nurse in Los Angeles, California, could not resist the joy of the moment, clicked a stolen shot. Some of her patients in the Santa Monica hospital in LA now want to kiss the photo of her seated almost beside the Holy Father; others even wanted to kiss her hand which was held y the pope when I introduced her and others after the Mass.

Except for a few who probably were workers inside Santa Martha and the  Vatican, all of us either individually or by group were  allowed after the Mass and thanksgiving prayer to introduce ourselves to the Pope just outside the chapel. I first  introduced Father
Junar, then my 2 sisters Gloria and Blanca, and the 3 nieces Mary Ann, Binky and Teresa. We had a brief chat on Sr. Lucia Canale the present delegate-Superior of the Daughters of St. Anne in the Philippines who is from Buenos Ainres and knew him as Card. Bergoglio. While receiving Sister’s gift, he asked where I learned Spanish to which I said, “In the seminary”. I also told him the Filipino bishops hope he could come for the International Eucharistic Congress in 2016. He said he knew about it but he was not sure to go. As I thanked him and said good-bye I was humbled and touched when Pope Francis held both my hands and said, “Reze por mi” (Pray for me).