Research Director and Member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) – University of Santo Tomas (UST) Research Team Fr. Vladimir Echalas, SOLT, and Project Co-Lead Investigator and academic staff of the UST Faculty of Pharmacy Dr. Florence C. Navidad presented updates on the study, “The Lights and Shadows on the Present State of Catholic Christianity in the Philippines Toward Becoming A Synodal Church,” during the 129th Plenary Assembly of CBCP on January 27, 2025, in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
The project is a nationwide study commissioned by the CBCP to understand the current state of Christianity and provide a basis toward becoming a synodal Church. The research study is a joint project of the bishops’ conference and the UST Center for Theology, Religious Studies, and Ethics. In response to the report, the bishops directed the research team to work with the CBCP Committee for the National Synodal Transformation for the implementation of the final document of the synod on synodality in the country.
The Synod on Synodality concluded in October 2024 but its implementation continues. In his Accompanying Note to the Final Document on the Synod of Synodality, Pope Francis urged the local churches and groupings of churches “to implement, in their different contexts, the authoritative proposals contained in the document through the processes of discernment and decision-making provided for by law and by the Document itself.”
The initial findings are expected to be presented at the national synodal discernment conference tasked to craft the national synodal implementation framework in June 2025.
The CBCP-UST research team also includes Assistant Director of the UST Institute of Religion Assoc. Prof. Allan A. Basas, S.Th.D., Theology Program Lead of the UST Graduate School Prof. Pablito A. Baybado, Jr., Ph.D., Asst. Prof. Marites R. Redoña, Ph.D., and Asst. Prof. Philip L. Fuentes, Ph.D. UST Secretary-General Rev. Fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P., EHL, and Director of the Center for Theology, Religious Studies, and Ethics Prof. Joel E. Sagut, Ph.D., are the consultants. Fr. Echalas and Baybado are both members of the UST-CBCP Research team and the Committee for the National Synodal Transformation.
