H.E. Msgr. Pablo Virgilio David took to Facebook to share how he learned he was assigned as the 10th Filipino cardinal.
In his Facebook post, H.E. Msgr. David said he was simply enjoying his Sunday morning at the Collegio Fillipino after a hectic schedule, waiting for his Sunday mass in Rome at 4 PM.
After having his “Coffee with Jesus,” he said his phone started ringing. However, he ignored it because he was preparing for his Sunday homily for the 4 PM mass.
“Besides, the call registered as an international call, so I restrained myself from answering it because I’m using a Philippine SIM card”, H.E. Msgr. David said. “The call would have had to pass through the Philippines and would have been very expensive. Haha, now I realize it must have been someone from the Vatican trying to reach me to inform me about the announcement that was going to be made by the Pope at 12 noon after the Angelus,” he added.
Later at noon, the Collegio’s procurator congratulated him on WhatsApp. H.E. Msgr. David was curious, texting him back “For what?”
The procurator replied to him: “Na-announce po na Cardinal kayo.” H.E. Msgr. David thought he was joking, and that’s when the procurator called him to tell him about the announcement.
“He sent me the video cut-out from the newsfeed of Vatican news. Then I began to receive a deluge of messages. It felt like being caught in a whirlwind,” H.E. Msgr. David said. “I put down the phone and did a five-minute breathing exercise, which instantly calmed me down.”
H.E. Msgr. David then explained how the experience felt like what Elijah experienced in 1 Kings 19. “Now it felt like Elijah standing by the mouth of a cave and feeling a soft breeze that penetrated my soul and prepared me for this new chapter of my life and ministry as a bishop, as a servant of God’s people. I said, ‘Ok, Lord. My life is in your hands,'” he concluded.
As of writing, the post garnered 20k reactions, 2.9k comments, and 4.1k shares.
Cardinals are high-ranking members of the Catholic Church who serve as the Pope’s closest advisers and hold a significant role within the Church’s hierarchy, second only to the Pope himself. Their primary responsibilities include acting as the pope’s chief counselor, assisting in the governance of the global Roman Catholic Church, and participating in the election of a new pope.
Appointed for life, they collectively form the Sacred College of Cardinals, an influential body guiding the Church’s direction and policies.
