MANILA (LiCAS News): Catholic bishops from across the Philippines are set to convene for their biannual plenary assembly, from January 24 to 27 to pray and discuss key issues facing the Church today.
The assembly will be preceded by a three-day seminar on “transparency and accountability” within the Church.
Hosted by the Archdiocese of Lipa, the event will be held at Seda Hotel in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Monsignor Bernardo Pantin, the secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines [CBCP], said the seminar will involve not only bishops but also financial administrators and will feature speakers from the Philippines, as well as from Rome, London, and the United States. It is a follow-up to a similar workshop held at the Vatican in June 2024, which aimed to equip Church leaders with practical tools to promote transparency within their organisations.
Monsignor Pantin said the CBCP decided to “cascade” the seminar to the Philippines to extend its benefits to diocesan financial officers as well.
January 25 will see the formal start of the 129th bishops’ plenary assembly, the highest decision-making body of the CBCP. Among other topics, will focus on the themes of formation, social action, and the Synod on Synodality.
With May mid-term elections approaching, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting [PPCRV] will also report on its preparations for the polls.
On January 27, the final day of the assembly, Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, will preside over a Mass. The archbishop is also scheduled to visit Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Santo Tomas.
The CBCP currently has 126 members, including 84 active bishops, 38 honorary or retired bishops, and four diocesan priest-administrators.
