When the conclave of Cardinals assembles to elect the next Pope, it would be a process with no candidates.
This was how Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David described the sacred character of the manner to pick the next pope, drawing a sharp contrast to the entertainment and money-driven Philippine elections.
Speaking to members of the media before he left for Rome to attend the funeral of the late Pope Francis, David stressed that the conclave is not like any political contest.
“You won’t be able to say, ‘These are the ones who can be pope,’” he said. “Our only obligation is to get to know each other. So we must do our homework. I’m already doing mine.”
This will be the first conclave for David, Caloocan bishop and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, whom the late pontiff elevated to the cardinalate in a December 2024 consistory.
David, 66, will join two other Filipino cardinals eligible to vote in the closed-door gathering of the princes of the Church at the Sistine Chapel next month.
He will join Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula and Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Vatican, as representatives of the country’s Catholic faithful.
This is the first time three Filipino cardinals will join the conclave as cardinal-electors.
David cautioned Filipinos against projecting the manner of Philippine politics onto the process of choosing the next pope.
“Don’t compare our concept of elections. We know there’s something ‘very sick’ about how we conduct our elections… reinforced by the politics of patronage, an ayuda (doleout) culture, and disinformation.”
He described the conclave as a deeply spiritual process akin to a retreat. “We always ask, not who do we want, but who does God want. And that requires a lot of discernment.”
The conclave is expected to convene in May, following nine days of Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica that will start today, the day after the funeral of Pope Francis.
A total of 135 cardinals, below 80 years old, are eligible to vote in the papal election.
David urged Filipinos to refrain from creating or sharing papal campaign videos as they risk “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 hear the voice of the Spirit truly,” the cardinal said.
“Films and series about the conclave may be interesting, but let us not forget: they are fictional, deliberately sensationalized to be dramatic, entertaining, and profitable. They are far removed from the reverent and prayerful reality of the actual event,” he added.
He instead asked the faithful to pray for the conclave and the electors.
“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,” David said.
“If we must speak, let us strive to speak words of encouragement, not endorsement. If we must share something online, let it be the Scriptures, reflections that edify, prayers that nurture faith, strengthen hope, and foster love — love that alone can bring about justice and peace, mercy and compassion, healing and reconciliation to our wounded world.”