A northern Philippine diocese has clarified that a group calling itself the “Roman Catholic Society of St. John the Baptist” is not connected with the Roman Catholic Church.
In a statement issued Feb. 5, the Diocese of Baguio said the group is not affiliated with the diocese and is not recognized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
The clarification followed reports of wedding ceremonies allegedly organized by the group and scheduled from Feb. 25 to 28 at a private event venue in the city.
“Because this group is not in communion with Our Church, any wedding rites performed by them—though they may bear the appearance of a sacrament—are not valid in the eyes of our Church,” the diocese said.
To avoid confusion among the faithful, church officials urged couples to coordinate with their parish or any parish within the diocese for proper canonical guidance.
“This ensures proper canonical guidance, inclusion in the parish registry, and valid civil documentation,” the diocese said.
