The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Church will be on top of the agenda during the biannual meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines this month.
“How did it affect the religiosity and religious observances of the people. What were the good practices, too,” said Bishop Oscar Florencio of the Military Ordinariate when asked about the issues the Church leaders will discuss.
Bishop Florencio, who is vice chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Health Care, said he expects the Church leaders to also discuss issues surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines.
“Is this the most efficient in terms of effect to the health, can it cure us or can it safeguard us,” said Bishop Florencio.
He said one of the contentious issues of the vaccines is its reported use of aborted fetuses.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said the COVID-19 vaccine issue should be the main item in the agenda.
He said a vaccine against the new coronavirus should be accessible to all, but at the same time the government’s vaccination program should also respect “one’s freedom of choice.”
Bishop Santos said the vaccine should “never be used as a political tool to win people or to silent them.”
He said authorities “should always take into strict consideration its safety and effectiveness, and its being affordable.”
Bishop Florencio said another issue that will be discussed during the meeting is the reported atrocities committed by communist rebels and how the government is responding to it.
Monsignor Bernardo Pantin, secretary general of the bishops’ conference, said one of the items in the meeting is the presentations of the nine regional representatives of the permanent council.
“The report could include a general assessment of the region under quarantine due to the pandemic or recent calamities, responses and lessons learned and of any plan of action,” he said.
Archbishop Charles John Brown, the new papal nuncio to the Philippines, is also expected to address the bishops for the first time as representative of the pope.
Monsignor Pantin said other important agenda include this year’s celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.
To date, the bishops’ conference is composed of 86 active bishops, three diocesan administrators, and 43 honorary members.
The Plenary Assembly of the bishops’ conference, which is the highest decision-making body of the country’s Catholic Church leaders, meets in regular session twice a year in January and in July.
The gathering, which was cancelled in July last year due to the pandemic, will be held online from January 26 to 27.
