With less than two years before the next presidential election, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said Wednesday the Church should help voters form their consciences and participate responsibly in the political process.
Speaking at the 70th annual national assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies-Philippines in Tacloban City, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, said the Church must accompany Filipinos in forming consciences “guided by faith, truth and authentic human values.”
“A truly missionary Church does not impose political choices, but it helps the faithful discern wisely, participate responsibly, and promote the common good with a heart shaped by the Gospel,” Garcera said.
He said voter formation is part of a broader mission of a church that engages social realities and walks with people.
Garcera called for a more outward-looking church that reaches the poor, youth, the marginalized and those who have drifted from the faith.
He warned that parishes risk becoming inward-focused if they prioritize routine activities over outreach.
“Mission begins wherever we live, work, study, and serve,” he said, noting that all baptized Catholics share responsibility for the Church’s mission.
Garcera also urged stronger Filipino support for global missionary work, citing the contributions of Korea and Japan despite their smaller Catholic populations.
He said that should prompt reflection on how Filipino faith can be expressed through greater generosity toward the church’s global evangelizing efforts.
Synod implementation
Garcera’s election as CBCP president in 2025 has placed him at the center of efforts to implement the Synod on Synodality in Philippine dioceses.
He said synodality requires the church to listen, discern and journey together, rather than treating the process as another organizational program.
“The work of the Synod did not end with the publication of its Final Document,” he said, calling implementation the next major task. “The question before us is no longer simply, ‘What is synodality?’ but rather, ‘How shall we live it?’”
He called for a church that forms consciences, strengthens participation and promotes the common good while remaining faithful to its missionary identity.
The archbishop said the Philippines has much to offer the universal church through its migrants, volunteers, families and communities — a contribution, he added, that should be marked by renewed missionary zeal rather than simply preserving inherited traditions.
