Since 1 February 1976, the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Turkey (CET) has been a permanent ecclesiastical institution created by the Holy See along with the Inter-ritual Union of Bishops and Ordinaries of Turkey (Latins, Armenians, Syriacs, Assyrians, Chaldeans) who jointly exercise their pastoral roles for the good of the faithful entrusted to them, in accordance with Canon Law and the their statutes approved by the Holy See.

The aim of the Conference always lies in promoting a closer and more perfect co-operation between the bishops of Turkey and the other Ordinaries, in such a way that, thanks to an exchange of ideas, the fruit of their prudence, their experience and an exchange of opinions, a consonant union of all the energies may come for the benefit of the common good of the Church, especially through forms and ways of apostolate suitably appropriate to the circumstances of time and place, in accordance with the law.

The Bishops’ Conference has the duty to establish specific commissions composed by an Ordinary and other people, including lay people, to analyze better specific questions. The Conference’s Commissions are: Commission for Catechesis and Catechumens; Commission for Ecumenism; Commission for Inter-religious and Cultural Dialogue; Commission for the Pastoral Tasks of Health Work and Works of Mercy; Commission for the Laity (for young people and the family); Commission for the Translation of Religious Terminology into Turkish.

The different commissions present their conclusions to the Bishops’ Conference, to which decision-making authority is reserved. The Turkish Bishops’ Conference meets twice a year in a general assembly, in spring and autumn, requiring the presence of half of its members.