FOR the first time, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has cancelled its plenary assembly that was scheduled for July in Manila.
Father Marvin Mejia, secretary general of the bishops’ conference, said the bishops’ annual retreat, which usually precedes the assembly, will also be moved to January.
The decision was announced on Friday, June 5, citing as reason “the present health condition caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The assembly, one of two annual gatherings of the bishops, was supposed to be held at Pius XII Center from July 11 to 13.
Held twice a year, the plenary assembly is considered the highest decision-making body of the bishops’ conference.
When the assembly is not in session, the Permanent Council acts for and in behalf of the conference.
The beginnings of the Philippine bishops’ conference can be traced back to as early as 1945 when the conference was still known as the Catholic Welfare Organization.
In line with Vatican II developments, the organization became the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in January 1968.
This is the first time the bishops’ plenary assembly is cancelled since the conference was formally established.
