By Leslie Ann G. Aquino
The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on the faithful to pray for the bishops who are set to gather for their Plenary Assembly this month in Cebu City.
“We need your prayers so that we will really be enlightened and we would be fruitful in our discussions regarding what we would do as we move forward as church leaders of the church in the Philippines,” CBCP President and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles told Church-run Radyo Veritas.
According to the prelate, one of the things that the bishops would discuss in their Plenary Assembly is priestly life as well as the new guidelines on priestly formation from Rome.
To note, the Catholic Church dedicated 2018 as the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Person.
“We also discuss priestly life and consecrated persons, that’s the theme of this year of the Clergy and Consecrated Person that will be part also of the discussions in the plenary of the CBCP,” said Archbishop Valles.
The CBCP head expects the new guidelines that the Vatican released to be a big help to those who want to become priests or nuns.
“That would make our formation concrete, updated, suited for the young men and women of today. So therefore that is as much as possible with the grace of God suited to their outlook today …the millennials. It would make it easier for these people to stay on,” Valles said.
Archbishop Valles said the plans for the upcoming celebration of the 500th year anniversary of Christianity here in 2021 will also be tackled during the assembly.
Considered as the highest decision-making body of the CBCP, the Plenary Assembly meets in regular session twice a year in January and in July. When the Plenary Assembly is not in session, the Permanent Council acts for and in behalf of the Conference.
The 116th Plenary Assembly will be held from January 27 to 29.