VATICAN CITY, Rome — In celebrating the Immaculate Concepcion, Pope Francis is urging the Catholics faithful and Christians all over the world to treasure genuine relationships over material gains and money by emulating the Blessed Virgin Mary who sacrificed all comforts for the sake of following God’s commandments.

The 87-year-old spiritual leader of more than 1.39 billion Catholics around the globe stressed the importance of gaining the spiritual rewards promised by God over the material benefits one can have from money and wealth.

“What is the use of having a full bank account, a comfortable home, and unreal virtual relationships if our hearts remain cold, empty, and closed? What is the use of achieving great financial growth in privileged countries if half the world is starving or ravaged by war and the others look on with indifference?” Pope Francis pointed out during his homily in the Eucharistic celebration.

“Let us look to Mary Immaculate and ask her to conquer us through her loving heart. May she convert us and make us a community in which filial, spousal, and maternal love may be a rule and criterion of life,” he added.

The pontiff likewise urged Catholics to be like the Blessed Mother of Jesus, who is “ever ready to make room for the Lord in her plans and aspirations.”

Francis celebrated the Immaculate Concepcion Mass with 21 newly appointed cardinals, including Catholic Bishops of the Philippines (CBCP) president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.

“I have asked them, my brothers, to help me in my service as pastor of the universal church. They have come from many parts of the world, bringing great wisdom in order to contribute to the growth and the spread of the Kingdom of God,” the Pope beamed with joy.

David’s promotion to cardinal the current year. He is the 10th Filipino cardinal to be raised as ‘Prince of the Church’, joining Cardinals Jose Advincula of Manila and Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelization.

Of the 21 new cardinals, eight were from Europe, five were from Latin America, five were from Asia, two were from Africa and one was from North America.