Bishops’ assembly tackles Church matters, nat’l issues

MANILA, Philippines – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines opened its semiannual plenary assembly in Manila on Saturday to tackle Church matters and pressing national concerns.

Over 100 bishops from various dioceses were expected at the three-day gathering at the Pope Pius XII Center on UN Avenue. It is first time the new CBCP president, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, presides over the assembly.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, head of the CBCP’s permanent committee on public affairs, said it was not known if the prelates would discuss or release a statement on the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Palma, in his opening remarks, only alluded to the impeachment trial as he spoke about the country’s natural and man-made woes.

“Aside from the natural calamities, there are a brood of factors that cause untold pain and suffering to our people. The reality of graft and corruption, unemployment and unabated devastation of our forests and seas lead to poverty and related problems. At this time, with the obvious confrontations among the main branches of our government, [it] make[s] us wish we are not stuck with pinning the guilty but instead we are now marching and collaborating with each other in implementing laws and programs that bring about growth and development. Certainly we can say there are dark clouds in the sky,” Palma said.

Senator Gringo Honasan recently called on the CBCP to provide the people with “moral guidelines” and the “right perspective” on the trial to help the people reflect on the current issue with the light of the Christian faith.

Iñiguez said the bishops were aware of the issue but this did not necessarily mean they would be speaking about it. “Unless there are moral evils and if there is really a need to make a stand, that’s when we issue statements,” he said.

Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo was quoted in a CBCP statement as saying that whether or not the bishops issued a statement on the impeachment trial, they were hoping that “truth and justice” would prevail.

Palma, in his speech, said the role of the Church was to muster hope among the faithful that things would get better.

“Under the dark clouds and in the midst of poverty and suffering, I reiterate, I feel a great hope. I pray that we, as members of the CBCP, own up and declare that there is hope. We hope because in [the late Pope John Paul II’s 2003 apostolic exhortation] Pastores Gregis that is what we are called to be: Harbingers of hope. As bishops, we are to give people a reason for living and hoping,” Palma said.

As Church leaders, Palma added, he and the bishops should be instruments of unity and reconciliation in the country.