Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
Encyclopedia
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
episcopacy in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Archbishop Jose S. Palma
Jose S. Palma
The Most Reverend José Serofia Palma, D.D., S.Th.D is the current Archbishop of Cebu since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 15 October 2010. He had previously served as Archbishop of Palo in the province and island of Leyte...
of Cebu is the current president while Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas
Socrates B. Villegas
Socrates Buenaventura Villegas,D.D. , born in Manila, September 28, 1960, is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. He is the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan, Philippines. He was also elected Vice President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines ...
of Lingayen-Dagupan is the current Vice President. The CBCP has 99 active and 32 honorary members.
History
On February 15, 1945 the Rev. William Piani, D.D., apostolic delegate to the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, created the Catholic Welfare Organization, to address the country's needs following the invasions and devastations of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On July 19 of the same year, the CWO became the official organization of the hierarchy of the Philippines, with the Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes, D.D., Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Cebu
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
, as Chairman. It had 17 members and incorporated on January 22, 1946, with the purpose to unify, coordinate and organize Filipino Catholics to work together on education, social welfare, religious and spiritual issues under the direction of the Filipino bishops. The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
approved the Constitution on June 28, 1952.
After Vatican II
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, to address changes in society over the decades, the CWO began a series of changes, becoming the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on January 31, 1968. In 1972, the bishops updated its structure, which were approved by the Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on May 21, 1973. Finally, in January 23, 1988, a revised Constitution was approved by the Holy See. According to this document, the purpose of the Conference is to promote solidarity in the Philippine Church, formulate joint pastoral policies and programs, engage the Philippine Church, formulate joint pastoral policies and programs, engage the Philippine Church as abide in the pastoral thrusts of the universal Church, assume the responsibilities as evangelizer in relation to all the people and with the civil authority in particular and to foster relations with other Episcopal Conferences.
CBCP Plenary Assembly
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is the official organization of the Catholic hierarchy in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. As the national Episcopal Conference
Episcopal Conference
In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the bishops of a given territory...
, it counts as its members all diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
bishops
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
and those equivalent them in law; all coadjutor and auxiliary
Auxiliary
Auxiliary may refer to:* A backup site or system* Auxiliary input jack, generally for audio* Auxiliary verb* International auxiliary language* Auxiliary police* Auxiliaries, troops supporting the main force of an army** Auxiliaries...
bishops; and all other titular bishops who exercise for the entire nation a special office assigned to them by the Apostolic See
Apostolic See
In Christianity, an apostolic see is any episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus.Out of the many such sees, five acquired special importance in Chalcedonian Christianity and became classified as the Pentarchy in Eastern Orthodox Christianity...
or by the Episcopal Conference
Episcopal Conference
In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the bishops of a given territory...
itself.
As provided in its Constitution, the purposes of the CBCP are to promote solidarity in the Philippine Church; to engage the Philippine Church actively in the thrusts of the universal Church; to assume the responsibilities as evangelizer in relation to all the people, and in particular to civil authority; and to foster relations with other Episcopal Conferences.
The members of the CBCP gathered as a body in pursuit of its objectives constitute the Plenary Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body of the Conference.
It is the Plenary Assembly which elects through direct vote the officers of the Conference, composed of the following: President, Vice-President, Secretary General and Treasurer. It is likewise the Plenary Assembly which elects the members of the Permanent Council, the Chairmen of the Episcopal Commissions and the heads of the agencies attached to the Conference.
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 Permanent Council is composed of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and ten regional representatives (five for Luzon, two for Visayas and three for Mindanao).
The President of the CBCP serves for a term of two years, and is limited to only two consecutive terms. The members of the Permanent Council, on the other hand, have a term of two years but are allowed a cumulative number of up to four terms. They may not, however, serve for more than two consecutive terms in succession.
CBCP Permanent Council
The members of the CBCP are convened as a Plenary Assembly on a regular basis only twice a year. When the Plenary Assembly is not in session, it is the Permanent Council which acts for and in behalf of the entire Conference.The Permanent Council, composed of ten elected members representing the Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
and Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
regions, acts in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the CBCP, and the policies and standing decisions of the Plenary Assembly.
The Council may be convened by the President at any time for the discharge of its regular functions or for special purposes. However, when the Council cannot have a quorum, the members present, together with other CBCP members available, may also act for and in behalf of the Conference.
The Permanent Council's regular functions include ensuring that the decisions made during the Plenary Assembly are properly executed and directing the activities of the Office and other agencies of the Conference. It is also tasked to prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Plenary Assembly and examine and approve the Conference's annual budget, prior to submission and final approval of the Plenary Assembly.
A crucial function of the Permanent Council is to prepare the Joint Statements or Pastoral Letters of the Hierarchy on subject matters decided on by the Plenary Assembly, and see to it that copies are sent to the members for comment and/or approval before they are officially released.
The Council is likewise mandated to work with the Episcopal Commissions and assign to them functions of urgent character which may not have been taken up in the Plenary Assembly and which may not be provided for in the Constitution. It also has the power to set up temporary agencies for some particular inquiry or for some limited sphere of actions.
Commissions and Departments of CBCP
The CBCP is divided into various commissions and departments charged to handle the affairs of the episcopal conference.Department of Doctrine and Religious Affairs
- Commission on Doctrine of the Faith
- Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education
- Commission on LiturgyLiturgyLiturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
- Commission on Biblical Apostolate
- Commission on Canon lawCanon law (Catholic Church)The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
- Commission on Ecumenical Affairs
- Commission on Inter-Religious Dialogue
- Commission on CultureCultureCulture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
- Commission on Eucharistic Congresses
- Commission on the Cultural Heritage of the Church
- Commission on BioethicsBioethicsBioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
Department of Clergy Formation
- Commission on ClergyClergyClergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
- Commission on SeminariesSeminaryA seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
- Commission on VocationVocationA vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
s - Commission on Pontificio Collegio Filipino
Department of Lay Formation
- Commission on the LaityLaityIn religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
- Commission on the FamilyFamilyIn human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
and LifeLifeLife is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate... - Commission on MissionsMission (Christian)Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
- Commission on YouthYouthYouth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
- Office on Women
Department of Social Services and Communications
- Commission on Social Action, JusticeJusticeJustice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
and PeacePeacePeace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the... - Commission on Social CommunicationSocial communicationThe term social communication refers to using the so-called social media. However there is no standardised definition yet recognised. Generally communication requires a social nexus of at least two entities in a technical or just social relation...
s - Commission on Pastoral CarePastoral CareLiber Regulae Pastoralis or Regula Pastoralis is a treatise on the responsibilities of the clergy written by Pope Gregory I around the year 590, shortly after his papal inauguration...
for Migrants and Itinerant People - Commission on PrisonPrisonA prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
Pastoral Care - Commission on Indigenous PeoplesIndigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
- Commission on Health CareHealth careHealth care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
Department of External Affairs
- Permanent Committee on Public AffairsPublic relationsPublic relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
- Mixed Commission on Mutual Relations between BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s and the Religious
Other CBCP Committees and Offices
- Media Office (www.cbcpmedia.com)
- Research Office
- Legal Office
- Pension Plan Committee
- National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal
Membership
As of 1995, the CBCP has 95 active member cardinalsCardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s as well as 24 honorary members.
The Philippines has 16 archdioceses, 51 diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s, 7 apostolic vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
s, 5 territorial prelatures and one military ordinariate
Military ordinariate
A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, of Latin or Eastern Rite, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation....
.
Leadership
The CBCP, considered as an influential body in Philippine politicsPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
in general, has been headed by some of the country's prominent Catholic prelates. It has issued strong pastoral statements against the dictatorship of the late Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, leading to the so-called EDSA Revolution which installed Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
. It also played a prominent role in the second EDSA Revolution which removed Joseph Ejercito-Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
, to be replaced by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
in 2001. Cardinal Archbishop of Manila Jaime Sin played a prominent role in all of these political events in the Philippines.
On January 22, 2006, it released in what is considered as its strongest statement on the state of Philippine politics. The statement urged the resolution of issues that hound the legitimacy of the election of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
as president in the 2004 national elections. Some active member bishops of the CBCP are also currently involved in mass actions that call for the resignation of Arroyo.
The CBCP expressed dismay (July 6, 2007) over the conduct of the May 14, 2007 midterm elections, saying "the challenge of credible, honest, meaningful and peaceful polls remains". CBCP president Lagdameo lamented that “vote-buying and other anomalies have already become systematic and even cultural.” He stressed that election watchdogs, including the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), noted that the problem no longer lies in the voters but the voting system itself and the irresponsibility of some election officials. PPCRV chairman Henrietta de Villa told the bishops that last May’s elections merely repeated the unresolved poll fraud issues in the 2004 race between Mrs. Arroyo and the late Fernando Poe Jr. Lagdameo promised that they would come up with a full assessment of the conduct of the May 14 midterm elections at the conclusion of the assembly (July 9). The CBCP is also expected to discuss other pertinent issues, including extrajudicial killings of activists and journalists as well as the implementation of the new Anti-Terror Law.
Lagdameo asked the government to review the controversial anti-terror law, fearing it could be abused. The CBCP warned that the Human Security Act may be used by authorities to quell popular dissent against the government of Mrs. Arroyo. The influential CBCP in a press conference, further called for a change of leadership at the Commission on Elections as it noted the "continuing dominance" of political dynasties, dagdag-bawas, and poll violence. Demanding "full revamp of the Comelec", it sought for the appointment of people with "unquestioned integrity and competence, especially in systems and management" to succeed Chair Abalos and the five other members. There should also be "serious efforts to de-politicize and professionalize the bureaucracy," the CBCP said in a two-page pastoral statement read by its president Angel Lagdameo. It's call came after the vote of the 85-bishop CBCP during their two-day plenary assembly. Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento urged the early nomination process (which must be transparent and should involved the electorate) for the 4 poll commissioners. The terms of office of Chair Abalos, Commissioners Tuason and Borra would end in February next year, with an existing vacancy at the Comelec.
On December 17, 2007, in a statement on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
archbishop Paciano Aniceto
Paciano Aniceto
Archbishop Paciano Basilio Aniceto, D.D. is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Fernando. He is the Third Archbishop to hold the Metropolitan See, which is located in located in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines....
stated that Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
assured Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
that God and the Church are still with them - in his encyclical "Spe Salvi facti sumus (In hope we are saved)." Also, Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo was appointed new chair of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action and Peace and the National Action for Social Justice and Peace (Nassa), the CBCP's social arm, replacing Marbel bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez.
On January 7, 2008, Bishop Leonardo Medroso, chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Canon Law and bishop of Tagbilaran diocese, Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
issued the appeal to priests to stay away from politics, ahead of the May 2010 elections. He cited Code of Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, prohibition, Canon 285, which forbids all clerics from entering politics and that priests "cannot have an active role in political parties unless the need to protect the rights of the Church or to promote the common good." 3 priests—Msgr. Crisanto de la Cruz, Fr. Ronilo Maat Omanio and Fr. Ed Panlilio who ran in the last elections were suspended from their pastoral duties as a result of their entry into the political arena. Only Panlilio won.
On January 19, 2008, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (quoting from a letter of Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
Tarcisio Bertone), announced that Pope Benedict XVI "praised the courage of, and was saddened over the brutal and tragic killing of Fr. Reynaldo Roda in his ministry as head of Notre Dame School." The Pope wrote Jolo
Jolo
Jolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
Bishop Angelito Lampon: "calls upon the perpetrators to renounce the ways of violence and to play their part in building a just and peaceful society, where all can live together in harmony."
Church insiders reported that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was still ruled by conservatives, amid renewed calls for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation. Bishops therefore, failed to join these clamors, since the President "continues to wield influence over a good number of CBCP members".
"Bible Animé" project
On January 21, 2008, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), led by Fr. Oscar Alunday, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate (ECBA) launched the "Bible Animé" project. Through the aid of PBS, and Enzima International Inc., BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and Sunday readings can be accessed via cellular phones per multimedia messaging service
Multimedia Messaging Service
Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones. It extends the core SMS capability that allowed exchange of text messages only up to 160 characters in length.The most popular use is to send photographs from...
(MMS). By typing "BIBLIYA ON" and sending it to 286, at 5 pesos
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
per download, it is only available to Smart
Smart Communications
Smart Communications is a wholly owned mobile phone and Internet service subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company .On June 30, 2010 the company reported that it had over 45 million cellular subscribers.-Brands:...
users. The Philippine Bible Society's (PBS) 2006 survey showed that 60% of Filipinos do not read or own a Bible. In 2007, PBS created the e-Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, which is translated it in 7 Philippine languages (Tagalog, Cebuano, Bicol, Pangasinan, Pampango, Samarenyo and Hiligaynon).
List of CBCP Presidents
Listed below are the elected presidents of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines since 1958:- Archbishop Juan C. Sison of Nueva Segovia (1958 – 1961)
- Archbishop Julio Rosales y Ras of Cebu (later Cardinal) (1961 – 1966)
- Archbishop Lino R. Gonzaga y Rasdesales of Zamboanga (1966 – 1970)
- Archbishop Teopisto Valderrama Alberto of Caceres (1970 – 1974)
- Julio Cardinal Rosales y Ras, Archbishop of Cebu (1974 – 1976)
- Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila (1976 – 1981)
- Archbishop Antonio Lloren Mabutas of Davao (1981 – 1985)
- Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu (1985 – 1987)
- Archbishop Leonard Zamora Legaspi of Caceres (1987 – 1991)
- Archbishop Carmelo Dominador Flores Morelos of Zamboanga (1991 – 1995)
- Archbishop Oscar V. CruzOscar V. CruzOscar V. Cruz is an archbishop-emeritus of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. He was the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan, Philippines.-Biography:...
of Lingayen-Dagupan (1995 – 1999) - Archbishop Orlando Beltran Quevedo of Cotabato (1999 – 2003)
- Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla of Davao (2003.09 – 2005)
- Archbishop Angel LagdameoAngel LagdameoThe Most Reverend Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D. is the current president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and the Archbishop of Jaro in Iloilo.He was born in Lucban in 1940...
of Jaro (2005.10 – 2009.12.01) - Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar of Tandag, Cagayan de Oro (2009.12.01 - 2011.7.11)
- Archbishop Jose S. PalmaJose S. PalmaThe Most Reverend José Serofia Palma, D.D., S.Th.D is the current Archbishop of Cebu since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 15 October 2010. He had previously served as Archbishop of Palo in the province and island of Leyte...
of Cebu (2011.7.11 - Present)
External links
- CBCP official website
- CBCP webpage. GCatholic.com website
- Video, CBCP seeks Congress help vs artificial contraceptives, sex education (25 January 2008)
- Video, Saksi: CBCP tackles sex education, artificial contraception (25 January 2008)
- Video, Saksi: CBCP urges Congress to raise marrying age to 21 (26 January 2008)
- CBCP frowns on another people power
- Bishop: People Don't Trust De Castro
- Move On, Bishops Tell GMA Critics
- CBCP statement: 'Seeking the Truth, Restoring Integrity' (full text)