"Low Bat" but High Spirits: Cardinal David Shares Inside Look at Pope Leo’s "Listening" Consistory

"If you were to compare us to cellular phones, we are 'low bat' (low battery) already," quipped Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan (Philippines), describing the atmosphere at the close of a marathon day at the Vatican.

Despite the exhaustion and no time to beat the jet lag, the former President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) described a historic shift in how the Vatican operates. 

Speaking at a briefing following the Extraordinary Consistory convened by Pope Leo XIV on January 8, Cardinal David offered a candid glimpse into a meeting defined not by speeches, but by listening.

A Pope with a Notebook 

For Cardinal David, the most striking feature of the gathering inside the Paul VI Hall was the posture of the Pontiff.

"It was refreshing to see that the Holy Father did more listening than talking," Cardinal David told the press. "He came with a notebook, he was taking notes, and he was very, very attentive."

This "listening" approach was mirrored in the room's layout. Cardinal David noted that the sight of round tables, rather than theater-style seating, was "very familiar" to those who had attended the Synod on Synodality.

"The format was truly a 'Conversation in the Spirit,'" the Cardinal explained. "We were not left only to free interventions, where usually not everyone gets a turn. Here, through the small groups, everyone had the opportunity to speak out."

"A Work in Progress" 

The Consistory focused on two major themes: Synodality and Evangelization.

On Synodality: The discussions emphasized that synodality must "grow in the peripheries" and move beyond bureaucracy to become a "missionary participation" rooted in Baptism.

On Evangelization: Revisiting Evangelii Gaudium, the Cardinals discussed the digital age, concluding with a sentiment that resonated with the Asian delegation: while technology is useful, "machines cannot replace the intelligence of the heart."

However, Cardinal David was realistic about what could be achieved in a single day. He noted that the assembly was only able to cover two of the four originally proposed points.

"This is really going to be a work in progress," Cardinal David stated. "We worked only for one and a half days. So, I suppose there is still going to be a follow-up to this consultation."

A Global Fraternity 

While Cardinal David provided the Asian perspective, the sense of fraternity was shared globally. Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio (Colombia) and Cardinal Stephen Brislin (South Africa) joined David at the briefing, echoing the sentiment that the "round table" format allowed the Church leaders to truly understand the needs of the world.

Pope Leo XIV has confirmed that this "work in progress" will continue, announcing a follow-up Consistory scheduled for June 2026, coinciding with the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.