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IN-BETWEEN
CONVENTIONS
Matters pertaining to the organization, projects and studies pursuant to convention
resolutions and executive board meetings are the stuff that occupy the CLSP in-between
conventions.
In 1994 a Secretariat was created to take care of the daily business of CLSP
and Fr. Gau Sustento was appointed Executive Secretary and Office-in-Charge in
the same year. This office was initially based at the Manila Metropolitan Tribunal.
Later, when CLSP became the secretariat of the Episcopal Commission on Canon
Law, the office was transferred to the CBCP Building.
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Since 1993, the Executive Board (elected officers together with committee chairs)
has been meeting regularly to pursue the aims of the CLSP and to execute the
mandate of the Society articulated in the resolutions of the business meetings
during the national conventions. What is noteworthy is the interest and enthusiasm
of the members of the Executive Board to attend these meetings, usually held
in Manila, using their personal resources in order to do so.
THE SECRETARIAT
Concurrent with the responsible performance of duties of the Executive Board
is the important work of the Secretariat. It takes care of records, minutes of
meetings, convention papers and communications. It works closely with and assists
in the projects of the committees, especially those on membership and on-going
development. In the early years, the Executive Secretary was ably assisted by
the staff of the Manila Metropolitan Tribunal. Lately, the Society, having transferred
to the CBCP, has hired an office secretary.
PUBLICATIONS
After the 1994 convention in Tagaytay City, at the bidding of Archbishop Alberto
Piamonte, then ECCL Chairman, CLSP embarked on two projects: the creation of
a Speakers' Bureau to give canon law seminars to the local ecclesiastical jurisdictions,
and to publish a Book of
Practical Formularies on the Sacraments for the use of chanceries,
parishes and seminaries.
The Formularies came
out in the later part of 1994. Its contributors included Fr. (now Msgr.) Bernard
Pantin (Baptism), Fr. Nilo Peig (Holy Orders), Fr. Jose Ma. Tinoko, OP (Penance),
Msgr. Rey Monsanto, Msgr. Gene Velarde, Fr. Adolfo Dacanay, SJ, and Msgr. Jerome
Reyes (Marriage, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist). It is not only useful
for chanceries and parishes and for instruction in the seminaries. It is also
a great help in the practicum of participants in canon law seminars for parish
priests and parish secretaries.
One of the fruits of annual conventions, aside from the interest and the participation
that these generated among lay people about the CLSP and canon law is the publication
of the bi-annual newsletter called The
CLSP Gazette.
Fr. Javier Gonzales, OP, elected in Bacolod City to head the Committee on On-Going
Development, took it upon himself to see to it that the
Gazette become a vehicle through which CLSP can render service to
the Church better and to the country. In the words of Fr. Gonzales himself, "the
ends the CLSP intends to serve is not only to consolidate our identity as Society
but also to identify some of the fields of the new code that need attention:...
justice and fairness in Church juridical practice, effective ministry, a deeper
appreciation of the law that, in Christ Jesus, is life-giving, a strengthening
of that special bond of respect and friendship that we treasure as members of
the Society." Slowly but surely, these ends are being realized. Since 1995, the
Gazette has regularly seen publication twice a year and has been sent to canon
lawyers both members or non-members, Bishops, chanceries, and, lately, seminary
libraries.
Another project that saw the light of day is the publication of the Philippine
Canonical Forum. It is scholarly compendium of current issues in canon law, studies
in canonico-pastoral concerns, abstracts of theses and dissertations, book reviews
and other matters aimed at raising the level of canonical scholarship and practice
in the Philippines. The first issue of the Forum came out in 1998 during the
national convention in Iloilo City. Fr. Javier Gonzales, OP, heads the Editorial
Board whose members include Msgr. Higinio Velarde, Fr. Jaime Achacoso, Fr. Samson
Silloriquez, OAR, Fr. Ted Torralba and Fr. Gau Sustento.
THE SPEAKERS' BUREAU
Immediately after the Bacolod convention in 1995, the Speakers' Bureau was created
to assist dioceses in updating the clergy and other interested groups on the
New Code. The first seminar coursed through the ECCL-CBCP was the one held in
San Jose, Mindoro on May 20-23, 1996. This was attended by 30 priests, religious,
seminarians and a large number of lay people. Other seminars have also been in
Bacolod, Iloilo, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Leyte and other dioceses, initiated
and staffed by local canon lawyers.
WAYS AND MEANS
For the first years, the Society has relied mainly on the membership and annual
dues of members for its expenditures. As needs multiply and necessary expenses
soar, there was a need to look for other financial resources.
A movie premiere which CLSP sponsored in early 1999 was able to raise some money.
But this was not enough. Especially now that expenses have multiplied due to
maintenance costs of the new office.
One way is to look for permanent contributors. This is the rationale behind the
creation of "Friends of CLSP". For this purpose, solicitation letters were sent
out in 2000 to prospective donors and permanent contributors. The other is to
launch big income-generating fund-raisers, like a yearly raffle draw. There might
be other ways to generate or to source funds. Certainly, there are ways and means
that the Society can try to make itself fiscally liquid and financially viable.
However one looks at it, there is a need to source funds in order for the Society
to be able to meet its expenses and to fund its burgeoning projects.
MEMBERSHIP GROWTH
Starting in 1993, there has been a steady growth in membership.
However, membership in the CLSP comprises only half of the entire population
of canon lawyers in the country. Efforts have been made to draw them to the Society,
and whether enrolled or not in the CLSP, they are constantly informed of its
activities and are invited to its meetings and conferences. All canon lawyers,
as long as they remain in the general mailing list, are regularly sent the CLSP
newsletter, information materials and invitations to conventions and conferences.
Many ways are being looked into to make membership in the Society attractive
for canon lawyers. Amendments are being sought in the Statutes to make entrance
to CLSP a little easier. The yearly convention is an attraction all its own.
There is no substitute, however, for the personal invitation from a member to
un-enrolled canon lawyer.
REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL
CONFERENCES
The regional and sub-regional conferences, which were only started in late 1997
onwards, were precisely held to generate interest about the CLSP and to promote
membership in it. Incidentally, conferences had been heldin several places. For
Luzon Msgr. Bong Pangan hosted the first regional conference on November 10-11,
1997 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in San Fernando, Pampanga. Msgr. Bernie
Pantin called a conference for the Visayas at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Bacolod
City on Febraury 23-24, 1998; Msgr. Vic Rivas acted the gracious host for this
conference.
In the Bicol region and a sub-regional conference was held in Pili, Camarines
Sur on March 4, 1998 which Msgr. Noriel Priela hosted in his parish. McArthur
Park in Tacloban witnessed to a sub-regional conference for the Eastern Visayas
on March 8, 1999 hosted by the Archdiocese of Palo. And the latest sub-regional
conference was held for the Negros dioceses in Dumaguete City on October 27,
1999 hosted by Fr. Gamaliel Du Tulabing, JCD.
6th National Convention:
Puerto Princessa City
The 6th National Annual convention was held April 27-May 1, 1998 in Puerto Princessa
City, Palawan Island. The venue was the Asiaworld Hotel.
The 60 or so canon lawyers, 10 of whom were new enrollees, were welcomed with
all the pomp and funfare that seemed to ride on the crest of the Philippine Centennial
celebrations: a brass band at the airport, the introduction to the host families
and folkloric opening luncheon.
The Opening Mass was held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Puerto Princessa,
where Bishop Pedro Arigo, Vicar Apostolic of Palawan, welcomed the delegates
and gave the homily. The welcome ceremonies and dinner, attended by prominent
families and hosted by the mayor of the city, took place at the grand ballroom
of the Asiaworld Hotel. Much later in the evening, Msgr. Artemio Baluma, JCD,
head of the Legal department of CBCP, delivered the keynote address that centered
on Current Issues in Church and State Relations.
The following day, Msgr. Vic Rivas read a paper on the Canonico-Pastoral Implications
of Lay Organizations and Covenanted Communities. In the afternoon he read another
paper on The Temporal Goods of the Church.
During the business meeting, discussion centered on matters of internal concerns
such as membership, finances and constitutional provisions, as well as issues
that affect the canonical-pastoral ministry.
Since a certain lack of time for informal interaction had been observed in past
conventions, an entire day was set aside this time precisely for this purpose.
The trip to the St. Paul's Underground River was a balm for tired bones and frazzled
nerves, a time to be with colleagues and to simply forget about curial and tribunal
matters. The positive experience of this excursion would set the tone for future
conventions.
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© 2005
Canon Law Society of the Philippines
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