CBCP leader to push for Church issues in bishops’ assembly

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Jaro, Iloilo Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said yesterday he will push for pressing issues facing the Church to be prioritized in the plenary assembly of the country’s bishops at the end of the month.

"I am hoping that we could focus on national pastoral renewal in the Philippines which had been set as an important objective of the Church in 1992 and was again stressed in documents released in 2001," Lagdameo said in an interview on CBCP’s weekly radio program with Church-run Radio Veritas.

The CBCP head said he intends to reiterate during the plenary the two important parts of the Church’s mission in national renewal and social transformation: Change in the heart and mind and fulfillment in action of the goodness of the heart and mind.

Lagdameo believes that such action on the part of the Church will help Filipinos to move forward from the socio-political and economic crises the nation faces. "Conversion does not stop with the self," Lagdameo said. "All of us must serve as instruments of change in our society and the Church."

"God is with us so let us not lose hope. We should always ask for His help but, in doing so, we must do our part and help our country move forward," Lagdameo said.

Although Lagdameo said the bishops cannot be barred from discussing pressing political issues during the meeting on Jan. 28 to 30 at the Pope Pius Center on United Nations Avenue in Manila, he said concerns of local churches will certainly be raised.

"We first have to have updates on our respective archdioceses and diocese because we cannot really get a clear picture of the country by focusing on just one part. We must open our eyes and ears so we will understand and see well what’s going on," he said.

Lagdameo said participants in the CBCP plenary are expected to discuss political and economic matters and other concerns in their respective local churches.

He said the CBCP is also expected to maintain its stand on pertinent issues facing the Church, including controversial bills in Congress that have been perceived as "anti-life."

"If I may say, from time immemorial we have maintained the vigilance with regards to the defense of the human life. We’ve said a lot in the past and we will reiterate all of them if necessary," he said.

Lagdameo has also assured the people that the bishops are doing their best to provide guidance for the Filipino people: "We bishops try to be faithful to our role — that is why whenever it is necessary for us to say something we gather and discern and pray to have a consensus."

He added that, in terms of rules, no further changes in the CBCP are necessary at this point. He said they have over 20 commissions to help them address various Church concerns.

Lagdameo also said he understands the sensitivity of his position as CBCP president, "so I have to be careful with my statements to prevent mixture of my opinion with the position of the bishops."