The Diocese of Kalibo in Aklan province will host the plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on July 8 to 10.
The 126th CBCP plenary assembly will be held at the Marzon Hotel and will be preceded with the bishop’s annual retreat from July 4 to 6, said a CBCP News post.
Bernardo Pantin, CBCP Secretary General said the gathering “will be a period of prayer, sharing, reflections and deliberations concerning the Church and society.”
Included in the agenda of the meeting is the election of CBCP officers for the term December 2023 to November 2025, Pantin said.
Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David and Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara are currently on their first terms as president and vice president of the CBCP. CBCP officials have a two-year term in office, or a total of four to include a possible second term.
Decisions ranging from election of CBCP officers to subject matters of pastoral statements and revision of liturgical books require either a simple majority, or a vote of two-thirds of the member bishops to be approved.
Active bishops are eligible to vote on particular items. Retired bishops are welcome to attend the assemblies and participate in discussion, but they are not eligible to vote, the CBCP said.
The CBCP is currently composed of 88 active bishops. It also has 37 honorary members, who are retired or resigned bishops, and two diocesan priest administrators. The bishops meet twice a year with the first assembly held in January.
The bishops also make use the gathering to meet with other prelates of their region to discuss items that are more specific to their individual needs.
Between plenary and assemblies, the deliberations and decisions of the conference are undertaken by the CBCP Permanent Council.
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