Advocating for Cardinal Tagle as next pope is not a campaign – it’s faith in motion

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The recent call by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for the Filipino faithful to refrain from publicly advocating for Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as the next Pope deserves thoughtful reflection.

While rooted in respect for the sacredness of the papal conclave, this appeal raises an important spiritual and cultural question: Is prayerful hope a form of campaigning – or is it, in truth, a powerful expression of collective faith?

Across Filipino communities both at home and abroad, there has been a visible outpouring of prayerful support for Cardinal Tagle. Social media posts, rosary rallies, novenas and heartfelt messages are not political endorsements. They are petitions of the soul – expressions of a deep and abiding hope that the Church may one day be led by a shepherd who mirrors their culture, speaks their tongue and carries the compassion of a people long faithful to the Church.

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To ask that this hopeful expression be silenced may unintentionally dismiss a rich cultural tradition of panalangin, pag-asa, at pagkakakilanlan – prayer, hope and identity. Faith, after all, is not passive. It moves. It speaks. It dreams. And when Filipinos lift up the name of Cardinal Tagle in prayer, it is not to interfere with the mystery of the conclave, but to honor it – to bring before it their sacred longing.

As Scripture reminds us in Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” The faithful are not manipulating the process—they are participating in it through spiritual communion and humble intercession.

We all affirm the central tenet that the Holy Spirit guides the election of the next pope. No human campaign can override the divine will. But neither should prayerful yearning be mistaken for manipulation. If Italians can pray for their own, and Latin Americans rejoice in the election of Pope Francis, then surely Filipinos can also lift up their own— without rebuke, but with reverence.

In the words of Pope Francis himself: “Prayer is all-powerful. Let us never lose faith in the power of prayer.” (General Audience, April 14, 2021). That power belongs to all the faithful – not just the hierarchy.

Rooting for Cardinal Tagle is not about nationalism. It is about seeing one’s story, struggles and spirituality represented in the heart of the Universal Church. It is about finally feeling heard, seen and shepherded.

Let the conclave proceed in silence. But let the faithful not be silenced. In the end, may the Spirit choose. But let it not be said that the faithful were forbidden from hoping.

For when the people pray, it is not a campaign.

It is faith in motion.

Atty. Arnedo S. Valera is the executive director of the Global Migrant Heritage Foundation and managing attorney at Valera & Associates, a US immigration and anti-discrimination law firm for over 32 years. He holds a master’s degree in International Affairs and International Law and Human Rights from Columbia University and was trained at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Ateneo de Manila University. He is a professor at San Beda Graduate School of Law (LLM Program), teaching International Security and Alliances.

Rev. Valera is also an ordained evangelical minister,  non-denominational.