Pope Francis, the media and Kris Aquino

Pope Francis, the first Latin American and Jesuit Pope is having a honeymoon with press people whom he charms without really trying.

Three days after Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio became the 266th successor to the Chair of Peter and took on the name Francis, he met with thousands of media people to thank them for their work as professional communicators.

The Vatican is buzzed by some 1,000 Rome-based journalists who are always keen in the affairs of the Church. Their anticipation became almost palpable after Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI renounced the papacy in mid-February. Expectation built up in the runup to the conclave and by the time Benedict moved to Castel Gandolfo to make way for the election of his successor, an estimated 5,000 journalists from all over the world descended on the Vatican.

The new Pope’s meeting with journalists was in keeping with tradition that dates back to Blessed John Paul II. Upon entering the Vatican hall, all 6,000 pairs of searching, peering and sifting eyes riveted on Pope Francis.

Online news say the press expected a full-blown open forum that did not materialize but the reporters didn’t seem to mind because they were all captivated by the Pope’s self-effacing manner and candor.

An anecdote about what retired Claudio Cardinal Hummes of Sao Paulo told the still-Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina led him to choose the name Francis, in honor of the saint who embraced poverty. That sort of preempted any more questions and then it was time to disperse but not before the Pope accommodated a number of Vatican-based journalists for a meet and greet session. The small group included a blind scribe who was accompanied by a dog. The assembly rocked when the Pope patted the animal amid shouts of “Viva Il Papa!”

A blogger who took note of the Pope’s meeting with journalists commented that depriving the press of an open forum showed Francis does not like journalists and under his pontificate, “they will not be welcome visitors at the Vatican.”

Andrew Brown’s blog appears in the online edition of The Guardian.  His March 17 entry led readers to a link that put out Cardinal Bergoglio’s comments on different issues like gay marriage and the Roman Curia.

On the subject of the Catholic Church’s governing body, Cardinal Bergoglio had this to say:

“I see it as a body that gives service, a body that helps me and serves me. Sometimes negative news does come out, but it is often exaggerated and manipulated to spread scandal.”

“Journalists sometimes risk becoming ill from coprophilia and thus fomenting coprophagia, which is a sin that taints all men and women, that is, the tendency to focus on the negative rather than the positive aspects.”

Coprophilia is Greek for a fondness for feces (the politically correct term although the colloquial equivalent sounds more apt), and corphophagia refers to the consumption of the same.

That maybe too much to say about the Vatican press and their fixation with conspiracy theories supposedly hatched by unseen hands in the Curia, but the blogger admitted the Pope has a point.

“We feed some pretty disgusting appetites,” Mr. Brown stressed.

The assessment of Pope Francis on the basis of his first encounter with the press is simplistic, even sweeping. In case the blogger was not following, the comments were made following the Vatileaks scandal. I don’t think the Pope’s statement was an indictment of the Fourth Estate in general.

In any case, a point has been made in the way some media outlets pander to the public’s taste for celebrity gossip, especially about sex, infidelity, body makeovers, drugs, murder and other unsavory topics.

That is exactly what happened when Presidential sister Kris Aquino washed her dirty linen on national TV. My friends and neighbors who used to be admirers of Kris angrily wondered why giant networks would waste precious prime time anatomizing marital woes when there are more pressing national issues.

On the social networking site, a young lady asked if Kris’ problems are factored in the Sabah issue, political dynasty, reliability of precinct count optical scan machines or if it could help somebody find a job, and speaking for herself, if that would help her snag a boyfriend.

Some people who are so caught up in their own sphere should realize the world does not revolve around their lives.

While Kris felt “violated” by the sexual advances of her former husband enough for her to demonize him before the public, thousands have nothing to eat, are suffering and dying in hospitals with nobody to help them. Why, many victims of natural calamities like Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao even continue to live in makeshift houses and have not fully recovered.

My friend Belly summed it all up when he said media treatment of Kris Aquino bordered on the sipsip (toadyism), an overkill of an issue “nga way lami” (distasteful)!