CBCP head wants to make it to Pope Francis funeral before conclave

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David has taken note of their anguished conditions “under the shadow of death” in his Christmas Eve message on Tuesday. — LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David is targeting to arrive in Vatican City just in time for Pope Francis’ funeral before the upcoming conclave, where he will take part in electing the successor of the late Supreme Pontiff.

David, who led a mass at San Roque Cathedral Parish in Caloocan City to honor Pope Francis on Tuesday, said current logistical issues make it challenging to secure a ticket to the Holy See.

“I hope it won’t happen immediately so I could make it there since it is hard to reserve a flight right now,” David said in an ambush interview after the mass.

Pope Francis, whose birth name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on Monday, according to the Vatican. He was 88 years old.

READ: Papal conclave: a painstaking voting process

David said Pope Francis’ funeral could take up to nine days.

“It depends on the last will left by Pope Francis,” the Bishop of Kalookan said.

After the funeral, it would take 10 to 15 days before the Papal conclave at the Sistine Chapel, the cardinal said.

The highly secretive process to choose a successor to Pope Francis could take several days, potentially longer.

“The main expectation is that ,every cardinal should make sure that they will be there for the conclave because that’s where we vote for the new Santo Papa,” David said.

“But if I could manage to arrive before the funeral mass, much better,” the cardinal continued. “And my plan is to join the funeral mass.”