CBCP likely to discuss May polls in plenary meeting

The midterm elections will likely be among the agendas of the Catholic bishops during their meeting in Manila over the weekend, a church official said.Fr. Marvin Mejia, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the meeting will give the church hierarchy a chance to discuss crucial issues, including the May 13 polls. (Possible topics) might be the elections, because you know the people, especially the Catholic faithful will ask for guidance, he said.But Mejia said he is not privy as to whether the CBCP would release a pastoral statement or guidelines for voters to follow. I don’t want to pre-empt because our situation now is different, he said.The bishops from around the country will convene for their biannual plenary assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center from Jan. 26 to 28.The assembly will be opened with a Mass with Archbishop Gabrielle Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, as the main presider.The three-day meeting will be presided by Archbishop Romulo Valles being the president of the bishops’ collegial body.