Philippines’ Cardinal David: The Pope is both a religious and a political leader

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David views Pope Francis not only as head of the universal Church but also as a political leader.

In a piece on America - The Jesuit Review dated January 16, 2025, the Filipino cardinal recounted that during the synod he mentioned that Pope Francis has the dual role of a religious leader and a political leader.

“I raised my hand, and since Pope Francis was there, I said ‘Holy Father, I’m saying this with all due respect,” David stated. “You are aware that you are playing a dual role as a church leader and a political leader. As head of state, you are considered as a state leader, a political leader, and you are also the symbol of the universal church.”

As a political leader, the Pope could be vulnerable to suspicions by some state leaders on matters concerning sovereignty, David said.

“I wonder if there’s ever been an occasion to evaluate the wisdom of this dual responsibility of the Supreme Pontiff because it can work to the disadvantage of the church as well,” he said.

“For instance, in China, any intervention that you would initiate with regard to the church in China would be considered as an intrusion into their sovereign affairs because you are a political leader at the same time.”

David mentioned some bishops probed into why he brought up what he referred to as dual role of the Pope.

“I always felt that it’s something that we must seriously think about because in our countries the nuncios are treated like ambassadors, political ambassadors,” he explained.

When the Pope visits a state, he is treated as a head of state like what happened wheb he visited Belgium, “eventhough it’s obvious that he’s coming more as a church leader,” David noted.

Vatican is not a member of the United Nations, but it has a permanent observer missions in Geneva and New York, a status granted to it by the UN in 1964.

The Holy See is the government of the Roman Catholic Church, led by the pope. It is headquartered in Vatican, a sovereign state within Italy. 

The Holy See can attend all sessions of the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council, and the UN Economic and Social Council. 

It can join in the discussions and consensus agreements at the General Assembly.

David also expressed his faith that God intends inclusive salvation.

“I think the synod is Francis’ way of concretizing his challenge to get us out of self-referentiality in the church, that we don’t just stick to our churchy language and deal only with fellow Catholics, and that we learn that God intends the salvation of the whole world, not only of Catholics—that we’re not Catholic if we believe that God wants to save only Catholics,” he said.

The Catholic is synodal, David noted, which means not only walking with fellow Catholics and other Christian believers, “but with every fellow human being on Earth.”

“That’s what Pope Francis is contributing,” he said. “He has really widened our perspectives, and that excites me.”