Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will virtually meet next week to elect their new president and other officials.
The bishops will elect the successor of CBCP President and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles during their two-day Plenary Assembly which will start on July 8.
Catholic prelates will also elect Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David’s successor as vice president and nine regional representatives of their Permanent Council.
Msgr. Bernardino Pantin, CBCP Secretary General, said the bishops will also vote for a new treasurer and chairmen of the different commissions of the episcopal conference.
He said the new leaders will assume their respective roles on Dec. 1, 2021.
In a CBCP News post, Pantin said this will be the second time that the meeting will be held online due to the prevailing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
He added that the meeting will be preceded by a two-day online retreat from July 5 to 6. On the following day, the permanent council will finalize the agenda of the plenary meetings.
Pantin said the agenda of the assembly include a discussion on the two-year consultative preparatory phase involving dioceses worldwide for the Synod of Bishops on synodality at the Vatican in 2023.
The CBCP traditionally issues pastoral statements after its plenary assemblies.
The plenary assembly meets in regular sessions twice a year – in January and in July. When they are not in session, the permanent council acts on behalf of the conference.