Pope bringing faithful back, says PH priest

MANILA, Philippines—More former members of the Catholic Church who, for one reason or another, had joined other sects are returning to the fold, following Pope Francis’ “leadership by example.”

Fr. Manuel Francisco, a Jesuit priest, made the observation as Filipino clergymen and laity prepare for the visit of Pope Francis on Jan. 15-19 to the Philippines. The country claims to be the largest Christian nation in Asia with more than 80 percent of the population identifying themselves as Roman Catholic.

Pope Francis. AP FILE PHOTO

“Even in the Philippines, many had turned their backs on the Church and joined other denominations. The general prevailing attitude then was disappointment with the Catholic Church… But Pope Francis has changed all that,” said Francisco in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.

Francisco, however, did not cite figures. A decline in Catholic church attendance and belief though had been notable in the recent past, with many of the faithful joining Pentecostal and such other Christian groupings.

Francisco, who is also general facilities supervisor at the Loyola School of Theology at Ateneo de Manila University, believes Pope Francis has regained the confidence of many Catholics by making the faith “cool” again.

In the last two years since his election to the papacy in 2013, Francis has made it to the cover of various magazines, including Time and Rolling Stone, which usually feature the top icons of popular culture.

CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Soc Villages had said in a previous interview the predominantly Catholic Philippines had felt the “ripple effect” of Pope Francis.

“By his example, he has made living and witnessing the Catholic faith attractive,” Francisco said of his namesake Pope, who is the first Jesuit to become Pontiff.

He described Francis “as a modern man with a modern mind set,” who was able to reach out to the secular world, as well as to non-Catholic religions in a way that promotes dialogue. Niña P. Calleja

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