LOOK: Bishop Pablo David meets Pope Francis
A few days after being announced as one of the new cardinals, Bishop and incumbent president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Pablo Virgilio David finally met Pope Francis.
On Wednesday, Oct. 10, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kalookan shared a video on Facebook of the moment David, fondly called Bishop Ambo, introduced himself to the Pope.
According to the caption, Bishop Ambo arrived early at the Synod Hall when he met the pontiff.
The 65-year-old bishop went on to introduce himself in Spanish saying, “Santo Padre, I am the Bishop from the Philippines… You’ve changed my life again!”
“The Holy Father initially seemed puzzled and glanced at the bishop’s name tag. Recognition dawned on his face, and he exclaimed, ‘Oh, you’re Pablo Virgilio, yes, one of the 21!’” the Pope said.
David went on to say how he was surprised when he learned about the news that he was among the 21 appointees for the next consistory on Dec. 8.
During their candid meeting, David taught the Pope how to pronounce his diocese, Caloocan, after the latter admitted he had a hard time pronouncing it.
The Caloocan bishop went on to admit to the Pope that he thought his appointment to be a cardinal was a joke, as he didn’t receive any prior notice.
"Don’t take things too seriously, Pablo. Take it with a grain of humor, God’s humor. Ok?” the Pope replied with a chuckle.
“Looking into the Holy Father’s eyes, Bishop Ambo said, ‘I’m here for you—in whatever way I can be of help. Please give me your blessing.’ Pope Francis blessed him, and Bishop Ambo embraced him,” the Diocese of Kalookan concluded in the caption.
Archbishop Gilbert Garcera and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Lipa also met the Pope in the Vatican's St. Peter Square on Oct. 9.
"I made Pope Francis laugh in spite of all the problems of the whole world," Garcera said.
The clergy is on a retreat in Rome in three batches with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Dominican Master General Fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III.
David has served as bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan since 2016 after serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando in Pampanga. He was first elected as CBCP president in 2021.
He made waves in 2019 when he spoke out against former president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in his diocese. Several killings were taking place in Caloocan, Malabon, and Navotas amid the drug war.
David is the brother of sociologist and professor Randy David and the uncle of journalist Kara David.
Cardinals rank second to the Pope and serve as his principal counselors. As part of the College of Cardinals, they also are the ones to elect the next pontiff.
He will be the 10th Filipino to be named cardinal.
