126 Catholic bishops gather today for start of plenary assembly
Catholic bishops from across the country will convene next week for their biannual plenary assembly to pray and discuss key issues facing the Church today.
The assembly, set for Jan. 25 to Jan. 27, will be preceded with a three-day seminar on “transparency and accountability” within the Church, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
The event, hosted by the Archdiocese of Lipa, will be held in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, secretary general of the CBCP, said the seminar will involve not only bishops but also financial administrators.
Pre-meet seminar
The seminar will feature speakers from the country, as well as those from Rome, London, and the United States.
It will be a follow-up to a workshop conducted at the Vatican in June last year, which some Filipino bishops and priests attended. The Vatican seminar aimed to equip Church leaders with practical tools to promote transparency within their organizations.
According to Pantin, the CBCP decided to “cascade” the seminar to the Philippines to extend its benefits to diocesan financial officers as well.
The seminar is part of the 129th bishops’ plenary assembly, the highest decision-making body of the CBCP, which will formally start on Jan. 20.
The CBCP currently has 126 members, including 84 active bishops, 38 honorary or retired bishops, and four diocesan priest-administrators.
Final document seen
Among other topics, Pantin said the deliberations will focus on the themes of formation, social action and the Synod on Synodality.
The final document of the synod outlined key priorities for the church, including increased participation of laity through new ministries and adjusted governing structures, greater transparency and accountability among church leadership, and creating space for previously marginalized groups such as women.
With May elections approaching, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting will also report on its preparations for the midterm polls.
On the final day of the assembly, Jan. 27, a Mass will be presided by Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.
Pagazzi is also scheduled to visit Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Santo Tomas next week.
