VATICAN CITY — Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan was formally elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Francis on Saturday during a consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica.
David, who also serves as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), joined 20 other new cardinals from six continents in receiving the red biretta and cardinal’s ring, symbols of their new rank. This marked the 10th consistory convened by Pope Francis during his 11-year pontificate.
A Historic Ceremony
During the solemn ceremony, the new cardinals recited the Creed, professed their faith, and pledged fidelity and obedience to the pope and his successors. They each knelt before the Holy Father to receive their insignia and a document naming their titular church in Rome.
In his homily, Pope Francis exhorted the new cardinals to “walk in the way of Jesus: together, with humility, wonder, and joy.”
“To walk in the path of Jesus means above all to return to him and to put him back at the centre of everything,” the pontiff said. He emphasized the importance of cultivating a “passion for encounter,” highlighting how Jesus always engaged with those in need and worked toward unity and communion.
Cardinal David’s Remarkable Journey
Cardinal David becomes the 10th Filipino cardinal in history and one of Pope Francis’s closest advisers. A priest of the Archdiocese of San Fernando since 1983, he was appointed auxiliary bishop there in 2006. In 2015, Pope Francis named him bishop of Kalookan.
David has been president of the CBCP since 2021 and was elected vice president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in February. Recently, he was appointed to a 17-member council tasked with overseeing the synodality process and preparing for the next Synod of Bishops.
The Global College of Cardinals
Following the consistory, the College of Cardinals now has 256 members, including 141 electors eligible to vote for the next pope. Of these electors, 111 were appointed by Pope Francis, further shaping the future of the Catholic Church.
The elevation of Cardinal David underscores the growing influence of the Filipino Church and its leadership role in the global Catholic community. As one of the pope’s closest collaborators, David’s contributions to fostering unity and synodality within the Church are expected to resonate far beyond the Philippines.