Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Fides Service) - The new Standing Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines began a two year mandate on 1 December with Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro as president and Bishop Antonio Ledesma of the Prelature of Ipil as vice president. Archbishop Lagdameo succeeds Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao and is the 17th president of the CBCP.
The council was elected on July during a plenary assembly of the Bishops. According to its statutes the standing council acts and makes decisions on the part of the Bishops’ Conference. One of its main duties is to draft official statements and pastoral letters. The Council is assisted by a series of commissions which operate in different sectors of pastoral work.
Archbishop Lagdameo is 65 years old and he was born in Quezon. Ordained a priest in 1964, he was appointed Bishop of Lucena in 1980. Later he was auxiliary of Cebu and coadjutor of Dumaguete; since 2000 he has been archbishop of Jaro.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines is waging a campaign to restore rid political and social life of corruption one of the major ills in the Philippines and an obstacle to economic growth and eradication of poverty.
Another major concern of the Bishops is to form lay Catholics to play a leading part in the life of the Church bearing witness to the faith and living the fundamental values of the Gospel in the family and in public life.
(Agenzia Fides 7/12/2005 righe 26 parole 264)
