USCCB Elects New President During Fall Plenary Assembly

Bishops of the United States met in Baltimore, Md. this week for their Fall Plenary Assembly. The bishops elected a new president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Diocese of the American Military, and vice-president, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore. The bishops also elected a new secretary, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, and new chairmen of seven standing committees. 

The agenda for the week included updates on the following items: the Synod of Bishops; the ongoing war in Ukraine; the bishops’ Eucharistic Revival initiative and national congress; the Church’s support for women and families in light of the Supreme Court’s decision this summer in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization; policy advocacy and ongoing work of Migration and Refugee Services; information on World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal; and the Journeying Together intercultural dialogue and encounter process. 

The bishops voted to reissue Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the USCCB’s teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics. They agreed to add supplemental materials and begin a process of reexamining the teaching document following the 2024 election.
The general assembly concluded after advancing on the diocesan level three American women, Mother Margaret Mary Healy-Murphy, Michelle Duppong, and Cora Louise Evans, toward sainthood.