United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Bishop Jaime Soto speaks during an Oct. 11 press conference after Pope Benedict XVI named the auxiliary bishop of Orange, Calif., to be coadjutor bishop of Sacramento, Calif.

Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop William Weigand of Sacramento;
Co-Adjutor Bishop Jaime Soto Succeeds Him

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop William K. Weigand, 71, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Sacramento, California. Bishop Jaime Soto, 52, who has been co-adjutor bishop of Sacramento since October 11, 2007, succeeds him. Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, made the announcement in Washington.

Orthodox Jewish-Catholic Consultation Looks at
Faith in Public Life in Election Season

WASHINGTON—Ethical issues that arose in the recent presidential election drew the attention of the Orthodox Jewish-Catholic Consultation, October 27, in New York City. The priests and rabbis at the consultation noted that Jews and Christians share a sacred responsibility to protect and care for one's neighbor. The consultation includes representatives of the Orthodox Union (OU), the Rabbinical Council of America and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Co-chaired by Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, and Rabbi Fabian Schoenfeld of Young Israel Synagogue in Kew Gardens Hills, New York, the meeting addressed the challenges facing people of faith in a religiously pluralistic and democratic society. Presentations representing the Catholic and Orthodox Jewish perspectives highlighted the role of faith traditions in forming consciences that allow people to exercise responsible citizenship.

National Migration Week to be Celebrated January 4-10

WASHINGTON—The Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Migration Week on January 4-10, 2009.

This year's theme, Renewing Hope, Seeking Justice, "reminds us of our obligation to bring hope to the hopeless and to seek justice for those who are easily exploited," said Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration, in a letter sent every parish and Catholic school across the country.

U.S. Bishops Offer Support to Mormons
Targeted for Defending Marriage,
Backing California’s Proposition Eight

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops offered “prayerful support and steadfast solidarity” to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in the face of attacks on the church and its members for working to pass California’s Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage.

The support was offered in a November 21 letter from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, chairman of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, to Thomas S. Monson, president of the Mormon Church. The letter follows.

Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic Dialogue
Explores Transfer of Clergy, Doctrinal Statement

WASHINGTON—The Polish National Catholic (PNCC)-Roman Catholic Dialogue explored the transfer of clergy and a doctrinal statement at their fall meeting, that took place in Baltimore, November 6-7. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of Buffalo and Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the PNCC Central Diocese in Scranton, Pennsylvania, presided.

The meeting began with a progress report from the Roman Catholic members on a proposal to ask the Holy See if the PNCC could be considered to be in the same position as the Orthodox on two matters. First, PNCC faithful would be allowed to act as godparents at Roman Catholic baptisms in addition to a Roman Catholic. Second, mixed marriages performed in the PNCC without a dispensation from canonical form, even if not lawful, would be considered valid by the Roman Catholic Church. This proposal is under consideration by USCCB committees.

Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for
Immigration Reform among Catholics

WASHINGTON—A recent Zogby poll of Catholics nationwide showed overwhelming support for reform of our nation’s immigration laws, with Catholics supporting a path to citizenship for the estimated 12 million undocumented persons in the country.

The poll conducted October 17-20, included a sample of 1,000 people who self-identified as Roman Catholics and was commissioned by Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (MRS/USCCB). It had a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.

Catholic Bishops Support CCHD Collection
as a Response to Current Economic Crisis

WASHINGTON—The 2008 collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development will take place on November 22-23, the weekend before Thanksgiving, in most dioceses of the United States. In his announcement of the annual appeal and collection, Bishop Roger Morin, Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans and chairman of the Bishops' Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, urged Catholics to participate.

"The current economic situation is squeezing everyone in our country. For some of us, that means more careful planning when we take the car to do errands, cutting back on restaurant dinners, and postponing discretionary purchases," said Bishop Morin. "For millions of Americans who live on the edge of poverty in the best of times, it means making wrenching choices every month about feeding their families, paying their rent, and getting necessary medical care."

Pope Names Msgr. Barry Knestout Auxiliary
Bishop of Washington

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI named Msgr. Barry C. Knestout, 46, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington. Bishop-elect Knestout has been Moderator of the Curia and Vicar for Administration for the Archdiocese of Washington since 2007.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Catholic Campaign for Human Development
Ends All Funding to ACORN

BALTIMORE—Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the national anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has ended all funding to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Bishop Roger Morin, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Catholic Campaign for Human Development, announced in a November 11 report at the USCCB Fall General Assembly.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Cardinal George Voices Hope for Obama Administration,
Points to Possible Obstacles to Our Desired Unity

BALTIMORE—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), voiced hope for the Obama Administration but pointed to possible obstacles to our desired unity, in a Nov. 12 statement at the end of the annual fall assembly of the USCCB.

“The bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all,” he said.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Bishops Approve ICEL Gray Book Translation
of the Proper of Seasons and Revised Grail Psalter

BALTIMORE—The U.S. bishops approved the ICEL Gray Book Translation of the Proper of Seasons November 11, at their General Assembly in Baltimore, in a 189-30 vote. The bishops also approved the Revised Grail Psalter by the Monks of Conception Abbey for liturgical use in the United States in a 203-5 vote.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Bishops Approve Blessing for Child in the Womb

BALTIMORE—The U.S. bishops approved the Order for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb for use in the dioceses of the United States with a 223-1 vote November 11, at their General Assembly in Baltimore. The bishops also approved a Spanish version of the blessing with a 224-0 vote.

The Blessing of a Child in the Womb was prepared by the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities after receiving requests from dioceses for such a blessing and not finding an existing blessing for a newly conceived child. In March, 2008 a blessing was prepared and submitted to the Committee on Divine Worship. The proposed blessing is distinct from the Blessing of Parents before Childbirth found in the Book of Blessings.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Chicago Young Adult Receives National Award For Empowerment Of Immigrants

WASHINGTON—Stephanie Garza, 25, was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award for her remarkable work with immigrant parents through the Southwest Organizing Project in Chicago. Bishop Roger P. Morin, Chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, praised the choice.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
'We are our brothers' keepers,' remind bishops in economic statement

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- At a time of economic crisis, the U.S. Catholic bishops issued a statement Nov. 11 reminding people that "we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We are all in this together."

The brief statement issued by Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, the bishops' president, noted that "hard times can isolate us or they can bring us together."

Statement on Economic Crisis

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Catholic University sees record-breaking fundraising, enrollment

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- The Catholic University of America has had a record-breaking year for freshman enrollment and for national fundraising, its president, Vincentian Father David M. O'Connell, reported Nov. 10 to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The annual national collection for the university raised nearly $6 million, he said, the largest such collection in the school's history.

Including the $6 million, the university raised $26 million, making "this past year the best fundraising year in history," Father O'Connell told the U.S. bishops gathered in Baltimore for their annual fall general meeting.

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Three bishops honored for their restoration efforts following Katrina

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- Three U.S. bishops from the Gulf Coast area were honored Nov. 10 for the leadership they demonstrated following the vast destruction brought to their region by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management, the Catholic Church Extension Society and FADICA, or Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities, presented retired Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston and Archbishops Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, Ala., and Alfred C. Hughes of New Orleans with the awards during a reception at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' fall general assembly in Baltimore.

"These three men have served as an example to all of us for their contributions to the well-being of others," said Kerry A. Robinson, executive director of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management, a nonprofit organization that helps Catholic organizations to strengthen governance and promote excellence and best practices in management and finances.

Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia applauds as new members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are recognized Nov. 10 during the bishops' general fall meeting in Baltimore. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Bishops' conference opens with nod to historic presidential election

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- The historic significance of the election of President-elect Barack Obama dominated the opening address of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' fall general assembly Nov. 10 in Baltimore.

The bishops also took up consideration of a liturgical service in English and Spanish for blessing children in the womb and took up another lengthy section of the English translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal.

"Symbolically, this is a moment that touches more than our history when a country that once enshrined race slavery in its very constitutional legal order should come to elect an African-American to the presidency," Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, USCCB president, said in his opening address. "In this, I truly believe, we must all rejoice."

FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Plenary Session Address by Cardinal George

Dear Brother Bishops:

At the opening session of the recently concluded Roman Synod on the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI reflected on Psalm 118, that magnificent chorus praising the law, the order, that unites us to God. “The Word of God,” the Pope said,” is solid, it is the true reality upon which to base one’s life. Let us recall the words of Jesus: ‘...Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away’…It is words that create history, it is words that give form to thoughts…the Word of God is the foundation of everything, it is the true reality. And to be realists, we must truly count on this reality.”

USCCB Announces Winner of Faithful Citizenship
Ipod Drawing

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced today that the winner of the Faithful Citizenship iPod drawing is Kathleen Robinson from St. Petersburg, Fla. The winner was randomly selected from 2,625 persons who entered in the contest between September 17 and November 4.

Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue Studies Eucharist
as Part of its 'Hope of Eternal Life’ Theme

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue added a study of the Eucharist to its discussions on the theme “Hope of Eternal Life.” The dialogue took place at St. Paul’s College, Washington, and was the sixth meeting of Round XI in the historic relationship that began 43 years ago at the end of the Second Vatican Council.

The dialogue has been exploring beliefs and practices related to Eternal Life in Jesus Christ since it began the new round in 2005. At the recent session, participants welcomed Msgr. John Radano, former Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, as part of a new discussion on consensus and disagreement on Eucharistic doctrine. This new initiative is the result of conversations between Pontifical Council and the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Rev. Dr. Mark Hanson.

Catholics, Orthodox Examine ‘Ravenna Document’
Related to Authority, Sacramental Nature of the Church

WASHINGTON—The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation examined the international dialogue’s “Ravenna Document” and continued its study of primacies and synodality in the Church at its 75th meeting, October 23-25, at the Manoir d’Youville in Chateauguay, Quebec. The meeting was chaired jointly by Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati and Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh.

USCCB Mission Statement

The mission of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is to support the ministry of bishops with an emphasis on evangelization, by which the bishops exercise in a communal and collegial manner certain pastoral functions entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus of sanctifying, teaching, and governing.

This mission calls the Conference to

Act collaboratively and consistently on vital issues confronting the Church and society
Foster communion with the Church in other nations, within the Church universal, under the leadership of its supreme pastor, the Roman Pontiff
Offer appropriate assistance to each bishop in fulfilling his particular ministry in the local Church

Throughout its website, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops provides links to other websites solely for the user’s convenience. By providing these links, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops assumes no responsibility for, nor does it necessarily endorse, these websites, their content, or their sponsoring organizations.