The Bishops Conference of France (CEF) has devoted several working sessions of its latest plenary assembly, which concludes on Nov. 8, to discussing its current system of organization with a view of simplifying its national level operations and strengthening those at the provincial level.

How is it possible in a single program to evaluate meetings organized by the bishops’ conference in Paris, consultations at the “provincial level” and the ongoing work in each diocese?

These are the growing tensions that the French bishops are currently facing. As a result, the bishops have now established a small working group tasked with proposing a new schema of organization for the work of the conference.

“The objective is to restore provincial level structures, which were neglected by the previous reform, and which the bishops now feel are relevant to enable consultations to take place in a simpler manner,” said one assembly participant.

“It is clear that the work of the various episcopal commissions and councils is functioning badly and is actually just eating up time,” he said.

On the other hand, bishops generally agree that the smaller dioceses – and even certain provinces – cannot do without “national” support.