Baltimore, Md., Nov 18, 2009 / 16:15 pm
By a simple majority vote at their fall assembly in Baltimore, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has elected the new chairmen-elect of five committees.
By a 118-114 vote, Archbishop of St. Louis Robert J. Carlson was chosen over Bishop of Raleigh, N. Carolina Michael F. Burbidge to become chairman-elect of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.
Archbishop of New Orleans Gregory M. Aymond was elected as future leader of the Committee on Divine Worship by a 126-110 vote over Archbishop of Detroit Allen H. Vigneron.
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif. will be chairman-elect of the Committee on Domestic Justice, after a 120-117 vote over the other nominee, Bishop of Venice, Fla. Frank J. Dewane.
The USCCB chose Bishop of Harrisburg, Penn. Kevin Rhoades as the chairman-elect of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. He was favored by a vote of 145-93 over Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph F. Naumann.
On Saturday Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Rhoades as the next bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind.
Archbishop of San Antonio José H. Gomez was chosen by a 132-105 vote over Bishop of Laredo, Texas James A. Tamayo to become chairman-elect of the Committee on Migration.
Chairmen-elect serve for one year before assuming the responsibilities of chairmen, the USCCB reports.
In other votes, the four bishops elected to the board of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) were Bishop of Savannah, Ga. Kevin Boland; Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore Denis Madden; Bishop of Portland, Maine Richard Malone; and Bishop Joseph Cistone of Saginaw, Mich.
Bishop Richard Garcia of Monterey, Calif. and Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle Eusebio Elizondo were elected to the board of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC).