CBCP assembly: Top Church leaders gather in Cebu

CEBU CITY — At least 85 bishops from all over the country have gathered in Cebu for the three-day plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that started on Saturday.

Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines or Pope Francis’ representative in the country, celebrated Mass at Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown Cebu City before the start of the assembly.

Second in Cebu

This was the second time that proceedings of the Catholic Church’s highest governing body in the Philippines was held in Cebu since the CBCP was established in 1945.

The first time Cebu hosted the plenary assembly was in 2016, just days before the 51st International Eucharistic Congress.

Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, new CBCP president, said the bishops would discuss different topics, including Charter change and preparations for the 500th anniversary in 2021 of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle was among the most prominent bishops at the assembly.

Francis’ message

CBCP holds its plenary assembly twice a year — January and July.

Pope Francis extended “cordial solidarity” to the CBCP during its assembly.

“His Holiness prays that your fraternal dialogue will bear fruit for the benefit of all the faithful in an environment of living communion,” read part of Francis’ message relayed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

Valles, a known friend of President Duterte, assumed his post as CBCP president in December last year.

He succeeded Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, an outspoken critic of the spate of killings resulting from Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs. —With a report from Julie M. Aurelio