FMA Chairperson of the Commission for Institutes of Consecrated Life CLSP – Philippines

Quezon City (Philippines). On 25 February 2025, during the 31st annual national convention of the Canon Law Society of the Philippines (CLSP), held at Novotel Manila Araneta City, Sister Maria Josefina Carrasco, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians of the Province of St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello (FIL), canon lawyer, was elected as the new Chairperson of the Committee on Institutes of Consecrated Life.

The newly elected officers, including Sr. Maria Josefina, took their oath of office on 26 February, during a solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the Bishop Elias Ayuban, Bishop of Cubao. The ceremony took place at the historic Basilica Minore de San Pedro Bautista, the oldest church in Quezon City, founded in 1590.

Sr. Maria Josefina brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She currently serves as Defensor Vinculi in the Ecclesiastical Tribunals of First Instance for the Dioceses of Kalookan, Pasig, and Cubao, and as a Canonical Advocate in the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese of Parañaque. Recently, His Eminence Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David appointed her as an Associate Judge at the Tribunal of First Instance of the Diocese of Kalookan, further solidifying her expertise in canon law.

The Canon Law Society of the Philippines (CLSP), founded in 1993, has been instrumental in fostering deeper understanding, research, and collaboration among canon law scholars and practitioners in the Philippines. The society plays a vital role in educating those involved in diocesan and parish administration, religious communities, and ecclesiastical tribunals.

According to the CLSP’s statutes, the Committee on Institutes of Consecrated Life, under Sr. Maria Josefina’s leadership, will “address concerns regarding institutes of consecrated life, societies of apostolic life, and other emerging communities on the path to becoming religious institutes. It also promotes research and updates related to consecrated life.” This committee is crucial in navigating the evolving landscape of consecrated life within the Church.

To Sister Maria Josefina the wish for a fruitful mission, with a Salesian heart, in support of the communities of Consecrated Life in the Philippines.