Catholic priest explains why Filipinos trust Pope Francis

Pope Francis visited Malacañan Palace this morning for official welcoming ceremonies. The Pontiff and President Aquino delivered statements during a general audience of senior government officials and members of the Diplomatic Corps (Photo by the Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA — A Catholic priest is convinced that Filipinos trust Pope Francis not because they belong to the Catholic religion but because he has earned it.

“Pope Francis is not your typical leader who would embrace the trappings of power. In fact, he shuns them. His humility is felt and his sincerity is genuine,” said Fr. Jerome Secillano, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Public Affairs Committee.

The Holy Father conveys his message from the heart, that is why the people love him, he noted.

“He (Pope Francis) communicates a message that shows his deep concern for ordinary people and he backs it up with reforms that make the church more inclusive rather than ‘exclusive’,” he said.

The CBCP official added, “These are, I think, the most critical factors that earned him such a high trust ratings among the Filipinos.”

On Wednesday, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released a survey that the people in the Philippines believed that Pope Francis is the most trustworthy pope.

The survey, conducted on March 20-23, revealed that 87 percent of Filipinos have “much trust” in Pope Francis, while only six percent have “little trust.” Six percent were undecided.

The pontiff was in the Philippines for a five-day state and pastoral visit in January.