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BY JULIA CARREON-LAGOC
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Big 3 little words: “humane, just, fraternal”
(Reprinted below is the column that clinched the COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR award to Julia Carreon Lagoc, sponsored by the Globe Media Excellence Awards 2016. – Ed.)
WE WERE all glued to the TV as Pope Francis spoke to the US Congress, Sept. 24. It was the Pope’s first long-running speech in his six-day visit to America. Three words spoken in succession stuck in my mind: “humane, just, fraternal…” Three words that, to me, vividly encompass all his other speeches.
Humane is another term for caring, kind, compassionate. In his visit to the Philippines last January, Pope Francis’ call for mercy and compassion is still fresh in the Filipino mind. He was a picture of gentleness and benevolence. Humane best describes him.
Just is a profound word that demolishes inequality. It is descriptive of an egalitarian society where nobody is deprived of the earth’s bounty. Live and let live is the dictum. How can one enjoy unbridled abundance in the face of massive poverty, when three square meals a day is a luxury to many?
Fraternal is to be brotherly which, of course, applies to both men and women, and to all sectorsof society that include LGBT — whether or not you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Respect for individual differences is the operative word. We are all brothers and sisters on Mother Earth.
Never before has one person dominated print and broadcast media for nearly a week. The ten presidential contenders of the Republican Party were sidelined by Pope Francis. Billionaire Donald Trump, the front runner among the GOP candidates, was trumped out of the headlines by Pope Francis. Ditto with Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both vying for the Democratic Party standard bearer in the 2016 election.
The Internet has provided me siftings from the spokesperson of humanity, the greatest personality of the week: Pope Francis, beloved by Catholics and people of other faiths. I have comments after his quoted words. You may agree or disagree with Pope Francis, but I really do not know how one can disagree.
On poverty: “[Keep] in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty…The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes. I know that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem.” Here in California and in Oregon where I’ve been to recently, the homeless proliferate, asking passers-by to spare a dollar or more.
On climate change: “I call for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity… Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a culture of care and an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.” We have been lectured to reduce, reuse, recycle. Let us observe the mantra for the sake of the environment.
On the death penalty: “[Every] life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes… [Offer] encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.” The death penalty is inhumane, the opposite of humane. Although it could be hard in some extreme cases, it is still possible to forgive, forget, and live with love.
On abortion: “The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.” An indirect reference against abortion, I must say.
On the family: “You know what God loves most? To knock on the door of families and to find the families who love each other – families who bring up their children to grow and to move forward. Who create, who develop a society of truth, goodness and beauty.” Wishing everyone harmonious family relationships.
On dialogue: “When countries which have been at odds resume the path of dialogue… new opportunities open up for all. [Seize] the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism.” Dialogue opens the way to peace — be it in family conflicts, national or international in scope.
On immigration: “We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants… We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our ‘neighbors’ and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal solidarity, in a constant effort to do our best…”
On the arms trade: “Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood.”
On religious fundamentalism: “We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.” Touche! Thank you, Pope Francis. You nailed it all.
Humane, just, fraternal — big three little words — for us, brethren, to be good members of the great family of human kind. (juliaclagoc@yahoo.com/PN)
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