Next pope should have ‘moral courage,’ unafraid to speak up — CBCP spox

Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the CBCP’s episcopal commission on public affairs, emphasized that the new pontiff should possess “moral courage” and serve as a strong voice in addressing the world’s challenges.

“So dapat may moral courage na magsasalita sila, ‘yan ang nakikita kong dapat meron ang Santo Papa,” Secillano said in an interview with Philstar.com on May 7.

(So there should be moral courage to speak up. That’s what I see that the Holy Pope should have.)

He explained that by speaking up, the pope would be able to objectively address realities and issues facing the Church and society.

Secillano also stressed the importance of church that embraces people. “Ang simbahan ay dapat maging welcoming, hindi pwedeng ang simbahan ay sarado,” he said.

Openness brings people closer to God, he said. “Kailangan din nila (church) magbukas, para maramdaman din nila ang pagmamahal ng Diyos. Kasi agent ang simbahan ng ganitong mga biyaya.” (They [church] also need to open up, so that they too can feel God’s love. Because the church is an agent of these kinds of blessings.)

He cautioned that a closed church risks becoming judgmental and untrue to its mission: “Kapag sarado, jinujudge mo na, cinocondemn mo na, ‘di na totoong simbahan ‘yon.” (When it’s closed off, you’re already judging, you’re already condemning, that’s no longer a true church.)

As of May 8 at 8 p.m. (Manila time), no new pope has been elected. The first three rounds of voting by cardinal-electors in Vatican City ended without a result, signaled by two consecutive black smokes from the Sistine Chapel chimney. — Ian Laqui