Filipino bishops to issue statement on elections by end of February

The members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines are poised to issue a statement on the upcoming national and local elections by the end of February, according to a post on the CBCP website.

CBCP President and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said they are following a process they called "collective discernment" following the stand of Pope Francis on synodality, which is a process of fraternal collaboration and discernment among bishops.

David said there will be focus group discussions that would include the bishops, members of religious congregations, and lay leaders.

"The Church is not only comprised of the bishops. We have the bigger sector of the Church, which is the laity and other religious partners," the prelate was quoted as saying.

"The drafting of our pastoral statement is still in progress and our time frame is we will release it before the end of February," he said.

Last week, the CBCP held an online plenary assembly that concluded with the release of pastoral statements on ecology and the release of a revised version of the Oratio Imperata or mandatory prayer for protection against COVID-19. —BAP/KG, GMA News