Decision Number 61

The Appeal of the Council of Bishops to the a Declaratory Decision as to the Status of a Central Conference Bishop Who Fails of Re-election

Digest

A Central Conference Bishop whose term of office expires and he is not re-elected, is returned to membership in the Annual Conference of which he ceased to be a member when elected Bishop. His term of office expires at the close of the Central Conference at which his successor is elected, hence he would be entitled to participate as a Bishop in the consecration of his successor.

Statement of Facts

D. D. Alejandro was elected a Bishop of the Philippines Central Conference for a term of four years with the privilege of re-election. He was not re-elected a Bishop of the Philippines Central Conference in 1948 when his term of office expired.

The matter properly comes before the Judicial Council at the request of the Council of Bishops for a Declaratory Decision as to the present status of Bishop D. D. Alejandro.

Decision

From the statement of facts accompanying the request coming from the Council of Bishops, it is clear that Bishop D. D. Alejandro was not retired by the Philippines Central Conference and it is, therefore, the Decision of the Judicial Council that upon the expiration of the term of office of D. D. Alejandro as Bishop of the Philippines Central Conference on November 14, 1948, the said D. D. Alejandro was no longer a Bishop but became a member of the Conference of which he ceased to be a member at the time of his election as Bishop. His term of office as Bishop expired at the close of the session of the Central Conference, and, therefore, he was fully entitled to participate in the consecration of the successor Philippines Central Conference Bishop.