55 Filipino bishops, priests represent Philippines in global clergy Congress

Five Filipino bishops and 50 priests represented the Philippines at an international congress for the clergy in Rome. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said the International Congress for the Clergy was held at St. Paul Outside-the-Walls Basilica in Rome June 9 to 10. "A good number of lay Filipinos coming from as far as the United States and other European countries were seen at the vigil," the CBCP said in its news site. It said Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales led the Philippine delegation at the clergy congress to close the Year for Priests. Other Filipino bishops included Ramon Villena (Bayombong), Auxiliary Manila Bishop Bernardino Cortez, and retired bishops Benjamin Almoneda and Antonio Ranola. Cologne (Germany) Archbishop Cardinal Joachim Meisner and Quebec (Canada) Archbishop Cardinal Mark Ouellet delivered talks at the congress. Meisner talked on “conversion and mission" while Ouellet discussed the “Eucharist: invoking the Holy Spirit with Mary in fraternal communion." Presiding over the masses at the two-day congress were Cardinal Claudio Hummes, Prefect of the Pontifical Congregation for the Clergy and the Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. - RJAB Jr./LBG, GMANews.TV