(Note: This column was first published by the Manila
Times on the first week of April, 2005. Written by Dino Balabo, the column
entitled Kapeng Tagalog came out every week for over a year.)
Residents
of Central Luzon have vivid memories of their unique experiences with Pope John
Paul II that kept them spell bound.
On
his first visit to the country 26-year ago, the Roman Pontiff blessed the
Dambana ng Kagitingan in Bataan while en route to Subic Naval Base, then to Morong,
Bataan where he met with Vietnamese refugees.
As
recounted by veteran journalist Ben Gamos, a white pigeon settled on the Pope’s
right shoulder while addressing the refugees. It was moment reminiscent of Jesus
Christ’s post baptism experience as told in the Gospel.
During
his second visit in 1995 in the occasion of the World Youth Day, kneeling
carabaos from Pulilan town were brought to Manila and the country’s beast of
burden knelt
before the Pope.
It
was also on that second visit when members of the Philippine National Police
stumbled upon a plot to end the Pope’s life. Nueva Ecija provincial police director
Supt. Alex Paul Monteagudo said that a fire incident led police to the capture
of Abdul Hakim Murad shortly after, and of Ramzi Yousef later in Pakistan.
However,
as the Central Luzon resident join the world in mourning the Pope’s death, not
too many know much about the unique institution of the Papacy. Below is part of research paper I submitted
to North Park College Theological Seminary for the completion of my two year
masters degree.
In
writing the history of the papacy, James Corbett said, “no other in the western
world is older, none has had greater influence in the formation of Christian
civilization. None has been loved or hated so much, none so often
misunderstood, and reviled. It has been called the seat of the anti-Christ, of usurpers,
and imposters, the instrument of shrewd men trying to enslave the minds of men,
yet it survive all the attacks made upon it and today, enjoys great prestige,
respect, influence throughout the world. It’s very vitality amazes and
confounds its enemies.”
The
concept and practice of the doctrine of the papacy didn’t come overnight. It
was subjugated to the circumstances of the times and place and was established
by painful stages, and many centuries were to pass before the theory was
translated into practice.
It
is interesting to note that the word or title “Pope” did not originate from
Rome and it was not the Roman Church who first used the title “Pope” for her bishops.
Geoffrey
Barraclough explained that the title “Pope” was an Eastern and African title,
in early times it was applied to the bishops of the primatial Sees of Carthage
Africa and Alexandria, Egypt. In 250 AD, the clergy of Rome, addressed St.
Cyprian, and refer to him
as the “most blessed and glorious pope”. However, during that time, the word
‘pope’ wasn’t seen as a title for power and authority because the papal office wasn’t
established yet and no doctrine was conceptualized. The Church has to wait for
190 years before Pope Leo the Great, pronounced the theory of the papacy, and
gave Rome actual primacy.
More
than a century later, Barraclough said, a Roman bishop by the name of Siricious
(384-399 AD) used the title Pope and claimed in his decretals and rescripts the
same binding force as synodical decrees since he asserted the care of all
churches. However, William Macdonald asserted that, it was Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085)
who decreed that the title should be confined exclusively to the Roman popes.
History
tells us that the papacy rose to many occasions, but sometimes committed
mistakes. It was even the subject of Dr. Martin Luther’s treatises. But the
protestant reformer himself did not condemn the institutions as a whole,
instead, he pointed at specific
abuses. Such inconsistencies only reflect the perfection of God and the
imperfection of men who represents Him.
The
47th bishop of Rome, Pope Leo the Great (440-461 AD) is an example of a great
church leader like the deceased Pope John Paul II.
Phillip
Schaff in his book Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers wrote, “As a boy, Leo was
trained by Leo Magnus, the first great Latin speaking Pope and first great
Italian theologian. During his early manhood, Leo was employed by Pope Zosimus
to deliver letters to St. Augustine, the great bishop of Hippo in Africa.
Under
Pope Celestine (422-432), he became the archdeacon of Rome and was appealed to
by the great theologian Cyril to procure the Pope’s support in stopping the
designs of the Juvenal, the bishop of Jerusalem.”
In
his whole career as pope, Leo the Great proved himself to be a staunch defender
of orthodoxy. He defended the Church against the Manichean heresy (444 AD),
against Priscillanism (447AD), and against Euthychianism. In the political
world, Leo’s triumphs
includes
his intercession for the city of Rome to the barbarian Atilla the Hun (452 AD),
who was defeated by Aetius at Chalos but nevertheless continued his devastating
inroad to Italy.
Pope
Leo persuaded Atilla to retire beyond the Danube. Less than three years later,
he found himself again standing for Rome with the Vandal Genseric (455 AD) who
was about to invade Italy. Pope Leo met with Genseric outside the city, saving
Rome from destruction.
In
the same token, Pope John Paul II displayed exceptional courage as the leader
of the Church. He is now called the holy and missionary pope whose more than 25
years of leadership magnified the practice of what Christianity should be. He
has the distinction
of
being the first Pope to implement what has been approved at the second Vatican
council which reflect the principle of ecclesia semper reformada.
We
believe in the separation of Church and State, but we have so much to learn
from it. Lets hope and pray that our government and the powers that be would
also realize the importance of the principle of constant metanoia, that like
the papacy, it may also have the vitality that will confound its enemies. Dino Balabo