By CBCP News
July 15, 2022
Manila, Philippines
A Claretian priest and a Dominican nun were elected as new chairpersons of the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP).
Fr. Elias Ayuban, CMF, and Sr. Cecilia Espenila, OP, were elected during the online convention of the CMSP, formerly known as the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, on July 11 to 14.
The new chairpersons took over the posts from their predecessors, Fr. Cielito Almazan, OFM, and Sr. Marilyn Java, RC.
Fr. Ayuban has been serving as the provincial superior of the Claretian missionaries in the Philippines, while Sr. Espenila is the prioress general of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena-Philippines.
Sr. Espenila is also the Promoter for Justice and Peace of their congregation.
Also elected were Fr. Lino Gregorio Redoblado, OFM, and Sr. Mary Epifania Brasil, OP, as the new CSMP co-vice chairpersons.
Fr. Redoblado is the provincial superior of the Order of Friars Minor in the Philippines, while Sr. Brasil is the current superior general of the Dominican Sisters of Regina Rosarii.
Other new members of the CMSP board include:
- Fr. Dante Bendoy, OSA
- Fr. Hector Attard, mssp
- Fr. Ignacio Bercades Jr., sdP
- Fr. Hirohito Bolo Jr., CICM
- Br. Luc Cherest Boudreault, SC
- Fr. Rico Ponce, O. Carm.
- Fr. Victorino Cueto, CSsR
- Br. Butch Alcudia, FSC
- Sr. Ma. Bethanie Cervantes Sulleza, RSCJ
- Sr. Erlinda Hisug, OND
- Sr. Lerma Victoria Pangantihon, ra
- Sr. Virgencita Alegado, RSM
- Sr. Ella Erepol, MMB
- Sr. Marilena Narvaez, SSS
- Mo. Teodora Juan, MCST
- Sr. RosaMary Plaza, MSM
Formed in 1970, CMSP is a joint forum of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Men in the Philippines and the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines, founded in 1955 and 1957 respectively.
For many years, the association served as a common voice for men and women religious and an advocate for their individual charisms.
The CMSP is currently composed of 362 religious institutes, societies of apostolic life, secular institutes out of 453 religious and secular institutes in the Philippines.
Source: https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/cmsp-elects-new-leaders/
