By Joseph San Mateo
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, the Bishop of Kalookan, asked Filipinos to stop campaigning for specific cardinals in the conclave, as the election is “not a political contest” but a retreat.
“Let us remember that the election of a pope is not a political contest but a spiritual discernment. While it is natural to have hopes or preferences for certain personalities, we are ultimately invited to trust in the work of the Holy Spirit and the solemn responsibility entrusted to the College of Cardinals,” Cardinal David in a social media post on Apr 25.
“The conclave is a sacred moment, guided not by popularity or strategy, but by prayer, humility, and the collective listening of the Church’s shepherds to God’s will,” he said.
David, the tenth cardinal from the Philippines, travelled to Rome to join a conclave for the first time.
In the Philippines, the 66-year-old Bishop of Kalookan is often cheered as a papabile alongside his college schoolmate, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Not only have Tagle and David been widely discussed, they have also been the subject of memes or “campaign videos” created by Filipinos.
“Creating or sharing campaign videos, even with good intentions, risks turning a sacred discernment into a worldly spectacle. It may inadvertently pressure or politicize the conscience of the electors, and distract from the silence and prayer needed to truly hear the voice of the Spirit,” said David.
Indirectly referencing the Oscar-winning film Conclave, David added: “Films and series about the conclave may be interesting, but let us not forget: they are fictional, deliberately sensationalised to be dramatic, entertaining, and profitable. They are far removed from the reverent and prayerful reality of the actual event.”
The cardinal asked the public to “accompany the electors with our prayers, not our preferences”.
“Let us fast from speculation and feast on hope. Let us encourage one another to deepen our faith, trusting that the Lord who has not abandoned His Church will once again raise up a shepherd after His own heart,” he said.
A spokesman for the bishops’ conference Fr Jerome Secillano earlier had previously asked Filipinos to stop campaigning online for the 67-year-old Tagle in the conclave.
“We leave it to the cardinal electors to decide who will succeed Pope Francis. It’s not prudent for the public to promote Cardinal Tagle as the next Pope, as this could create the impression that the conclave might be swayed by external influences if Cardinal Tagle is elected as the next pontiff,” Secillano said. – The Tablet
