Bishops concur to creating public affairs ministry in dioceses

By CBCP News

The country’s Catholic bishops have agreed to establish a public affairs ministry in all dioceses.

The move was made during their plenary assembly at the Carmelite Missionaries Center of Spirituality in Tagaytay City on July 9 to 11.

Alongside the decision is the approval of the bishops’ conference to elevate its Permanent Committee on Public Affairs into an episcopal commission.

Established in 1982, it is currently chaired by Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus.

Its executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano welcomed the move, saying that “we can serve more and we can have different partners also coming from different archdioceses and dioceses.”

“We really have to make our social engagement very strong especially now that the church is also needed,” Secillano said.

Among the functions of the public affairs commission include the liaisoning between the CBCP and government.

It is also tasked to represent the CBCP in public hearings called by the government in matters affecting church-state relations.

Patronal visitation of the various SKK communities in the parish bringing the image of the Divine Mercy was held in preparation for the Divine Mercy Parish 19th Foundation Anniversary last June 30. A Eucharistic celebration caps every visit of the small Christian communities. Led by Fr. Francisco Parza III as parish priest, Divine Mercy Parish is located in Paolbo, Calabanga, Camarines Sur. The parish was canonically established in 2003 under the Titular Divine Mercy with a designated feast day on every second Sunday after Easter. Fr. Eligio Jovensie Balang was tasked to start the grueling objective of uniting the religious towards the monumental effort of building the physical structure of the church. (By MB/ Photo credit: FB page Servidor ni Divine)