The three Filipino cardinals who joined more than a hundred electors in the conclave that selected Pope Leo XIV swore an oath of secrecy at the start of the proceedings.
Although they could not go into specifics regarding the conclave itself, Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, Jose Advincula, and Pablo Virgilio David were able to comment on its bigger implications during a press conference at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, Italy.
“When it comes to the ministry of the Church—the criteria, the approach is not like what happens in the world. When it is said we rely on the Holy Spirit to select through prayer, we must all be disciplined to not think or get carried away that ‘am I a candidate?’” Tagle said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“Internal discipline is needed, otherwise it may overcome you. There is no candidate here to promote themselves, their countrymen, rather you return to why you are voting. I will face God, who will judge us,” he added.
In reaction to his supporters, Tagle thanked those who believe that Filipino cardinals are capable of serving as pope, but clarified that these are unlike general elections.
“Maybe those types of reactions are normal… Sometimes people come from an election they experienced. There are candidates, you vote for one, you vote against another. But a conclave is not like that,” Tagle said.
“Thank you so much to those who believed in us. I don’t know what you saw in us that we could possibly become pope. Me, when I look at myself, I can’t think of that. If anyone thought that, thank you very much,” he added.
Tagle likewise revealed he was seated next to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost (Pope Leo XIV) while the votes were counted during the conclave: “It appeared he was taking a deep breath. I told him it was OK to take a deep breath.”
“I said, ‘Do you want candy?’ He said, ‘Give me one.’ There, that’s my first act of charity to the new pope. We had those moments,” Tagle added.
For his part, David asked the faithful to pray for Pope Leo XIV.
“It is not just people who act, but the Holy Spirit as well. It is like our work to select the head of the church became lighter… Let us thank God who gave us his gift of pontiff in the person of Pope Leo XIV,” David said.
“Our pope really needs our prayers, our offering to his Pastoral Ministry whatever we can sacrifice,” he added.
Finally, Advincula said the conclave offers lessons for Filipinos choosing government officials in the coming midterm elections.
“Hopefully what we can show here in our process of voting an official of the Catholic Church is the different procedure of selecting leaders. We know that we distinguish between religious leaders and political leaders,” Advincula said.
“We can consider it sacred too to choose a leader. This is also like my message for those who are running… let us help each other to have a new model of leadership,” he added.