A consultation with parish priests from across the country is slated later this month for an official synod meeting.
More than 250 priests are expected to meet in Manila from July 29 to August 1 for the event called the “National Meeting of Parish Priests for the Synod.”
The event follows an international meeting of more than 250 parish priests that took place in Sacrofano, Italy, from April 29 to May 1.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is organizing the meeting, along with the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE).
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP president, announced the initiative on Saturday at the start of the CBCP’s three-day plenary assembly in Cagayan de Oro City.
David, one of five experts on the panel, accompanied delegates from around the world, including 10 Filipino priests.
Sr. Nathalie Becauart, undersecretary for the Church’s ongoing Synod on Synodality and the highest-ranking woman in the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, is attending the Manila meeting.
CBCP Secretary General Msgr. Bernardo Pantin said every diocese is asked to send three priests preferably one elderly, one young and one seminary formator.
Meanwhile, the three official Synod delegates of the CBCP — David, Cardinal Jose Advincula and Bishop Milo Hubert Vergara, are preparing for the second session of the 16th general assembly of the Synod of Bishops scheduled for October 2 to 27. It will be preceded by a two-day retreat, Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
The Vatican will publish the guiding document next week for discussions at the final assembly of the Church’s years-long Synod on Synodality.
The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) is also organizing a gathering of Asian delegates to the synod to discuss the document in advance. The week-long gathering will be held in Bangkok in August.
Next week, the Vatican will publish the guiding document for discussions at the final assembly of the Church’s long-running Synod on Synodality.
The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) is also organizing a gathering of Asian delegates to discuss the document ahead of time. This week-long event will take place in Bangkok in August.
