Is “Pope” Francis Really Humble?

So humble, he’s proud of it…

Is “Pope” Francis Really Humble?

by Marielena Montesino de Stuart

The first thing that an authentically humble person does is to not draw attention to his or her humility.  But “Pope” Francis is determined to teach us a lesson on humility by running around Rome paying his own hotel bills—“with his own money.”  It appears that he does not understand that there is no such thing as a member of the Catholic clergy having “his own money”.  This is the money that has been given to the Church for more than 2,000 years by faithful Catholics– from the very poor to the very rich.

But most important– since when does paying for your own hotel bill constitute an act of humility?

Wasn’t the former Cardinal Bergoglio elevated to the papacy, so that he would try to save a Church whose hierarchy is in free fall—and to clean up the corruption that has infiltrated the Curia?  Now, that would be an act of humility for Holy Mother Church.

Is humility a virtue?  St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas have something to say…

Humility—“is sometimes done merely as to outward signs and pretense: wherefore this is “false humility,” of which Augustine says in a letter (Ep. cxlix) that it is “grievous pride,” … sometimes, however, this is done by an inward movement of the soul, and in this way, properly speaking, humility is reckoned a virtue, because virtue does not consist in externals…” – From Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica.

In other words, humility is only authentic when it is internal– and not a public show.

Humility and the Throne of Peter

Humility, for someone who has been chosen as the successor of St. Peter, means that he must humbly accept and respect the traditions of the papacy.  This is not something that Bergoglio is willing to do.  In his quest to prove to the world that he is “humble”– he is actually showing that he is obstinate in his pride.

Bergoglio’s “humble” display has more to do with bowing to the crowds of believers and non-believers and being “ecumenically correct”— while refusing to genuflect in the presence of Christ at the altar, as we have witnessed during this past week.  Is this not a reflection of a man full of pride in the presence of God?

Popes throughout the ages have expressed their humility, without jumping off the Throne of Saint Peter, as if it were a carousel, as Bergoglio has done during this past week.

Popes throughout the ages have cared for and were loved by millions of poor Catholics around the world, while wearing the traditional red papal shoes—which represent the blood on Christ’s feet as he was beaten and whipped, during every step he took down the Via Dolorosa to face his death by crucifixion.  These red papal shoes represent the Pope’s true humble submission to the divine authority of Jesus Christ—something Bergoglio is refusing to do.

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