U.S. bishops nominate candidates for conference president and vice president

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 4, 2022 / 11:41 am

The U.S. bishops released on Tuesday the names of the 10 candidates nominated to be the next president and vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

An election will be held during the bishops’ Fall General Assembly in Baltimore Nov. 14–17 to replace the outgoing president, Archbishop Jose H.Gomez of Los Angeles, and vice president, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, whose three-year terms end at the conclusion of the meeting.

The nominees, chosen by their fellow bishops, are as follows:

• Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, Archdiocese for the Military Services

• Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Diocese of Arlington, Virginia

• Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut

• Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

• Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archdiocese of San Francisco

• Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, Archdiocese of Seattle

• Bishop Daniel E. Flores, Diocese of Brownsville, Texas

• Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, Archdiocese of San Antonio

• Archbishop William E. Lori, Archdiocese of Baltimore

• Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana

According to the bylaws of the USCCB, the president will first be elected by a simple majority vote of those present and voting. Then an election will be held for the position of vice president, with the remaining nominees making up the slate for that office. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a second vote would be taken. If no candidate emerges with a majority a runoff would take place between the two top vote-getters.

The bishops will also vote for new chairmen of six USCCB standing committees. The nominees are as follows:

Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, Diocese of Springfield, Illinois

Bishop Alfred A. Schlert, Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania

Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania

Bishop Peter L. Smith, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon

Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson, Archdiocese of Indianapolis

Bishop William D. Byrne, Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts

Committee on International Justice and Peace 

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan, MLM, Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon

Committee on Protection of Children and Young People 

Bishop Barry C. Knestout, Diocese of Richmond, Virginia

Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo, OSB, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey

Committee for Religious Liberty

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archdiocese of San Francisco

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana

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