PAGNINILAY | REFLECTION: GESTURES FROM THE HEART - Rev. Fr. Dennis Santos Soriano

     During his flight from Manila to Rome, Pope Francis was asked whether there is something he has learned from the Filipinos. And the Pope answered GESTURES. “The gestures! The gestures moved me. They are not protocol gestures. They are good gestures, felt gestures, gestures from the heart.” 

    This is what impressed the Holy Father about us. This is what also impressed me about the Holy Father. 

    Of course, what he said is very important. We hang on to his every word. We anticipated his homilies and messages. We cried in his affection-rich admonitions in Tacloban. We cheered every time he chose to speak in Spanish and have them translated in English for we knew he would speak from his heart. His words were among our treasured souvenirs from this Papal Visit.

Fr. Soriano as the Master of Ceremonies, assisting the Cruz Family, whose parents are both deaf and are giving their testimony to the Holy Father.

    But his words were made complete with what he did; his gestures. The way he smiled and waved endlessly to the shrieking crowds. The way he approached the elderly nuns and priests on the wheelchair. The way he embraced children, held their hands, listened to their stories. The way he blessed the sick. The way he stopped his pope mobile to kiss babies, bless the people and visit a tiny shanty. The way he took time to greet the staff and production, the volunteers, the security and the PSG. The way he listened to the stories of the families. The way he smiled when he realized the testimony was being done in Sign Language. The way he signed “Thank you” and “Applause.” The way he slowly mouthed “Thank you very much” and “Please pray for me” so that the deaf couple can lip-read what he was saying. 

    This is what I will keep in my heart. The way he looked at me after he greeted Bishop Gabby Reyes, a look that I took as an invitation to take his hand and kiss it. And so, I did. I knew I am not supposed to. I knew I was only there to help Bishop Gabby. But I felt he wanted me to. 

    This is what I will keep in my heart. The way he offered his hand to me after he blessed the Cruz family (they shared their story about dealing with the reality of deafness), an offer that I took as an invitation to take his hand and kiss it another time. Once was enough for me. But who would not take the chance for another one. And so, I did.

The Holy Father thanking Fr. Soriano for his help in assisting the Cruz Family during the Encounter with Families.

    This is what I will keep in my heart – his genuine concern and sincere attention to persons. 

   The Holy Father may be the leader of over a billion people, but his concern was not impersonal. His attention was not general. He cared. He truly cared.

   I am only one of the many who served in this Apostolic Visit, but this one will never forget. This one will always strive to be about persons.

Viva il Papa!

Photo Courtesy: Fr. Dennis Soriano, Personal Pictures

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