The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has clarified that a group calling itself the “Roman Catholic Society of St. John the Baptist” has no connection with the Catholic Church.
The Diocese of Baguio said the group is neither affiliated with the diocese nor recognized by the CBCP, stressing that it has no authority to conduct Catholic rites or represent the Church in any capacity.
The clarification was issued amid reports of wedding ceremonies allegedly being organized by the group and scheduled from Feb. 25 to 28 at a private venue in Baguio City, raising concerns among the faithful over the validity of the rites.
The diocese emphasized that since the group “is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church,” any wedding ceremonies it performs are not considered valid sacraments.
While such rites may resemble Catholic rituals, they do not meet canonical requirements, it added.
Church officials warned that marriages conducted by unauthorized groups are not recognized by the Church and may create complications in official records and pastoral care.
To avoid confusion, the diocese urged couples planning to marry to coordinate directly with their parish or any parish within the Diocese of Baguio to ensure proper canonical guidance, inclusion in parish registries, and completion of valid civil documentation.
The faithful were also advised to verify the legitimacy of groups or individuals claiming to offer Catholic sacraments and to seek guidance from parish priests or diocesan offices when in doubt.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “CBCP: Group offering weddings in Baguio not linked to Catholic Church”
