Conference Of Bishops Of France

Conference of Bishops of France
Creation	1966
Headquarters	House of the Conference of Bishops of France 58 Avenue de Breteuil 75007 Paris
Member (s)	About 120 bishops
President	Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois
Affiliation (s)	Roman Catholic Church
Website	www.eglise.catholique.fr

The Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) is a structure of the Catholic Church in France which brings together all the bishops and cardinals in active living in France mainland and overseas departments (DOM), and Cardinals retired French living in France.

Also part of the Conference, the bishop at the head of the Eparchy (diocese) of the Armenians in France , the Exarch for Ukrainians in France , the apostolic vicar apostolic prefects and departments of overseas administrators diocesan and apostolic administrators (in the diocese without a bishop temporarily) hold office in France.

The bishops of the overseas territories (TOM), which belong to the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific , as well as some senior religious orders, participate in discussions but are only advisory.

History

The Conference of Bishops of France was created in 1966 to take over the Assembly of Cardinals and Archbishops of France dating from 1945. It corresponds to a request from the Holy See in 1919.

Organization

Plenary

All the bishops, who constitute the Conference, meets twice a year to Lourdes , in plenary session. This assembly makes decisions concerning the Catholic Church in France, and advises on social issues.

The chairman and vice chairman of the Assembly are elected for three years.

Permanent Council

Composed of 10 members, is responsible for ensuring the continued presence of the Conference during the year, oversees the implementation of decisions of the plenary, and coordinates the actions of commissions and committees of the Conference. Its members are partly elected by the assembly.

Secretariat

It is the liaison between the various departments of the Catholic Church in France. It also prepares the work, and provides practical implementation of decisions of the meeting.

Commissions and Committees

Number 10, the commissions have each an area of reflection and action:

• Liturgical and sacramental ministry,
• Catechesis and catechumenate ,
• Ordained ministries,
• Consecrated Life
• Family ,
• Apostolic movements and associations of the faithful ,
• Universal mission of the Church
• Christian Unity
• Social Commission of the Bishops of France,
• Education, life and faith of young people.

Each committee chairman is elected for one year at the plenary.

The committees are composed of bishops appointed by the Conference for longer periods, and discuss problems that come out of committee assignments:

• Information and communication
• the canon law
• international relations
• Issues Economic Conference.

International Solidarity

The Conference of Bishops of France instructed the CCFD Earth Solidarity solidarity to mobilize Christians for the most poor and needy in the South and East.

Statements and declarations

She published the Catechism for adults in 1991 with the approval of the Holy See.

Accusations of Gallicanism

On several occasions, the CEF has been accused by traditionalists to show Gallicanism. The bishops are sometimes booked on the desirability of certain pronouncements of the pope, especially regarding the use of the sacrament of forgiveness and liberalization of the Tridentine Missal said of Pius V (Latin Mass) .

Successive Presidents

The Presidents of the Conference of Bishops of France are elected in the annual plenary assemblies for a term of three years, renewable once.

• 1945 - 1948 : ^BishopEmmanuel Suhard , archbishop of Paris , Cardinal
• 1 948 - 1 964 : ^MonsignorAchilles Linart , Bishop of Lille , Cardinal
• In 1964 - one thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine : ^MonsignorMaurice Feltin , Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal
• One thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine - one thousand nine hundred seventy-five : ^MgrFranois Marty , archbishop of Paris, Cardinal
• 1975 - one thousand nine hundred and eighty-one : ^BishopRoger Etchegaray , Archbishop of Marseille , Cardinal
• One thousand nine hundred eighty-one - in 1987 : ^BishopJohn Vilnet , Bishop of Lille
• One thousand nine hundred eighty-seven - 1,990 : ^BishopAlbert Decourtray , archbishop of Lyons , Cardinal
• One thousand nine hundred and ninety - 1996 : ^BishopJoseph Duval , archbishop of Rouen
• One thousand nine hundred ninety-six - in 2001 : ^BishopLouis-Marie Bill , archbishop of Aix-en-Provence and Lyons, Cardinal
• In 2001 - 2007 : ^BishopJean-Pierre Ricard , archbishop of Bordeaux , Cardinal
• 2007 -: ^MgrAndr Vingt-Trois , archbishop of Paris , Cardinal

Also elected November 5, 2007 Vice-Presidents of the Conference of Bishops of France: ^BishopLawrence Ulrich , then Archbishop of Chambry , recently appointed Archbishop of Lille and ^Bishop Hippolyte Simon , archbishop of Clermont .

^Mgr Vingt-Trois and its vice-presidents have been returned to office for three years at the plenary session of November 2010 .

References

See also

Internal Links

• Conference of Catholic Bishops of Canada
• Catholic Bishops Conference of the United States
• List of French bishops

External link

• Official site

• Catholicism portal
• France portal

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