CBCP exec: Instead of promoting, pray for Tagle, cardinal electors

A handout picture taken and released on January 16, 2015 by the Osservatore Romano shows Pope Francis (R) and Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle gesturing during a meeting with families in Manila on January 16, 2015. The pontiff enjoyed a rapturous reception from millions of Filipinos during the first two days of his trip to the Philippines, reinforcing the nation’s status as the Catholic Church’s bastion in Asia. Pope Francis is on a five-day visit to the Philippines. AFP PHOTO / OSSERVATORE ROMANO

MANILA, Philippines — It might not be wise to promote Cardinal Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle as the next Pope.

Reverend Father Jerome Secillano, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs Executive Secretary, said the faithful should respect the independence of the Catholic cardinals in electing the successor of Pope Francis.

He added that prayers will be best.

On Monday, Pope Francis died due to complications of stroke, according to the Vatican. He was 88 years old.

READ: ‘Bridge-builder’: Flock pay final respects to late Pope Francis

“We leave it to the cardinal electors to decide who will succeed Pope Francis,” Secillano told Radio Veritas on Wednesday. “It’s not prudent for the public to promote Cardinal Tagle as the next Pope, as this could create the impression that the conclave might be swayed by external influences if Cardinal Tagle is elected as the next pontiff.”

“The independence of the electors must be respected,” Secillano continued.

Pray for Tagle, electors instead

Instead, Secillano said, “The least we can do is pray for Cardinal Tagle and the other cardinal electors.”

To date, there are 135 cardinal electors in the Church.

Three Filipino cardinals

Three of these cardinals are Filipinos including Tagle, who is also the former Archbishop of Manila and a current member of the Roman Curia in the Vatican; CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David; and Manila Archbishop Jose Advincula.

Tagle is perceived as one of the popular choices as the next leader of the Catholic Church.

But David said the faithful should be disabused of such a notion.

“I can’t help but laugh when I was being asked about the supposed popular candidates. There are no candidates in the conclave—there is no such thing, the usual stuff every election,” David said in an interview in Caloocan City on Tuesday.

“No one will give ayuda, no one will put out a tarpaulin, no one will launch a campaign. A conclave is a retreat,” he added.

Pope Francis is the first non-European Catholic pontiff for more than a millennium.

When asked what it would mean for the Catholic Church to have its first Asian leader, David said: “Well, anything  can be made possible by the Holy Spirit.”

“That’s up to God,” he said. “That’s up to the Holy Spirit.”