Cardinal David appointed to Vatican doctrine office

MANILA, Philippines —  Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David received his first assignment at the Vatican on Sunday, as a member of the doctrinal section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith, one of the oldest departments of Pope Francis’ cabinet.

According to a report by CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Cardinal David is among 19 of 21 new cardinals who have been given roles within Vatican institutions.

He joins the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith alongside Cardinals Jaime Spengler of Porto Alegre, Brazil; Ignace Bessi Dogbo of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Roberto Repole of Turin, Italy.

The dicastery, which underwent significant reforms under Pope Francis, now operates with two sections: one focused on doctrinal matters and the other on disciplinary issues, each with its own secretary.

David will work under the leadership of Argentine Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, who has led the dicastery since September 2023.

Cardinal David has served as the bishop of Caloocan since 2016 and is currently the president of the CBCP.

He was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis last Dec. 7, becoming the 10th Filipino cardinal in the history of the Philippines.