Dwayne Pelagio

Pope Francis has officially elevated Diocese of Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David into a cardinal during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of New Cardinals at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Dec. 7, marking him the 10th Filipino cardinal in history.

Photo Courtesy of Rappler/Vatican Media.

David was given a cardinal ring, a tube containing documents declaring him as a cardinal, and a red biretta.

The consistory is an event wherein cardinals are gathered by the pope specifically for solemn promulgation of papal acts.

"Let us not forget that being tired ruins your heart. Those who are tired are first to be corrupted. To walk in the path of Jesus means, in the end, to be builders of communion and unity,” Pope Francis said in his homily during the consistory.

The pope added that the lord is looking for those who come from different backgrounds and cultures and represent the Catholicity of the church.

“He [the lord] is calling you to be witnesses of fraternity, to be artisans of communion, and builders of unity, and this is your mission,” he stated in his homily.

David joined 20 new cardinals in the consistory.

He is also the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and the first cardinal to be elevated from a diocese.

According to the Catholic Church, cardinals rank second to the pope and serve as his closest advisers.

By next year, 80% of the cardinal electors, cardinals under the age of 80, are chosen by Pope Francis.

The pope cited in the homily that the new cardinals are a “radiant sign in the midst of society obsessed with appearances and power” when they follow Jesus.

“Love one another with fraternal love, and be servants to one another [as] servants of the gospel. Dear brothers, let us walk in the way of Jesus together with humility, wonder, and love,” he told the new cardinals in his homily.

David’s promotion to cardinal was announced on Oct. 6 and met the pope on Oct. 10 David was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of San Fernando in 1983 and was appointed auxiliary archbishop of the same archdiocese in 2006. 

He was transferred to the Diocese of Kalookan in 2015.