A year after extending its bishops’ terms, the Philippines Central Conference Coordinating Council is pushing for a special session to elect new bishops — with or without the General Conference in 2022.
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However, United Methodist leaders in the Philippines acknowledge that such a plan potentially faces hurdles under the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s law book.
In the meantime, the coordinating council at a recent meeting acknowledged the need to extend the incumbent bishops’ terms again.
Salvador Malana III, lay delegate from Northern Philippines and chair of the Philippines Central Conference episcopacy committee, said each bishop’s term would be in effect until after a successor has been duly elected and assumed office.
Ordinarily, the Philippines Central Conference holds elections for all of its bishops every four years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed both the 2020 General Conference — the denomination’s top lawmaking body that sets the budget for bishops — and the subsequent central and jurisdictional conferences.
The coming General Conference is now scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 6, 2022, in Minneapolis. Ongoing challenges with vaccine access and travel visas mean the international legislative assembly could be postponed again.
Bishop Ciriaco Q. Francisco, who oversees the Manila area, was set to retire in 2020 under the mandatory age limit, while Bishop Rodolfo A. Juan of the Davao area had announced his plans to retire voluntarily after serving three terms.
Bishop Pedro M. Torio Jr. of the Baguio area had not yet announced his plans after serving two terms. He has been on medical leave for the past few months but will return to his role.
Malana said the decision to move forward with a special session is contingent on a favorable legal opinion from the Council of Bishops.
The main question: Does the Book of Discipline in any way allow a central conference to hold bishop elections before General Conference?
Malana also said he wondered whether the Judicial Council, the denomination’s top court, would need to weigh in.
The Philippines Central Conference Coordinating Council acts on behalf of the central conference in between the conference’s quadrennial sessions.
The. Rev. Menre R. Mendillo, clergy delegate from the Philippines Annual Conference and president of the central conference’s Judicial Court, said he thinks a special session is in line with the Discipline.
Since the bishops’ current terms are expired, Mendillo argues that the college of bishops has the authority to fill the resulting vacancies.
The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the denomination’s mission agency, helps in providing funds for central conference sessions.
Darlene Marquez-Caramanzana, Asia liaison officer of Global Ministries, said she thinks if a special session is granted, “this would enable the Philippines Central Conference to have new leaders that can set anew the pace of program and mission of the church here.”
Malana reminded everyone that as the pandemic persists, the struggle is not just to defeat the virus but also to ensure a sense of connection and belonging.
excerpt from a story by Gladys P. Mangiduyos, communicator in the Philippines.
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