U.S. Bishops to Meet November 12-15 to Hear Addresses, Reports From Cardinal Dolan, Nuncio, Committe

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will meet November 12-15 in Baltimore for their annual Fall General Assembly. The bishops will hear addresses by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of USCCB, and Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The bishops will also hear reports from Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on National Collections, and Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, chairman of Catholic Relief Services, on rebuilding efforts for the Church in Haiti. Bishop Farrell will also report on the state of National Collections in general. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, chairman of the Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth Committee, will give an informational presentation on World Youth Day 2013 and an update on the promotion and defense of marriage, particularly a Spanish-language video. Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California, chairman of the Cultural Diversity Committee, will present an update on the Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers program.

Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, head of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, will give a status update on the activities of the ordinariate, which was established in January to assist Anglican communities in the United States wishing to join the Catholic Church. The bishops will also hear presentations from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese of Military Services, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, and Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, chairman of the Committee on Divine Worship.

The bishops will vote on several action items, including documents on preaching, the Sacrament of Penance, the economy and possibilities and challenges to the teaching ministry of a bishop. The bishops will also vote for the treasurer-elect of USCCB, the chairmen-elect of five committees, and the creation of three USCCB staff positions.

Prior to the General Assembly, on Sunday, November 11, USCCB Communications will host “An Encounter with Social Media: Bishops and Bloggers Dialogue,” at which a study on the social media practices of Catholics by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) will be released.

For live video, documents and speeches, agenda item votes and more, click here to visit the official webpage of the USCCB.

News Information provided courtesy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.