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Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis attends a Nov. 14, 2023, session of the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)

BALTIMORE — For two days, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in plenary assembly in Baltimore advancing key issues related to liturgy, living out the faith, including in the public square, and retooling the conference to better serve the church's mission.

However, the bishops' Nov. 13-16 meeting, which took place nearly three weeks following the conclusion of the global Synod on Synodality, also concluded without a common game plan for how bishops could get consultative feedback from their local parishes with respect to the synod's "halftime" report before it reconvenes in 11 months.

At the assembly's opening Mass Nov. 13, the bishops prayed for peace, with USCCB president Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in the homily saying they asked for wisdom to help others embrace Jesus Christ, and noting the feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint, and herself an immigrant who championed care for immigrants.

The public portions of the bishops' plenary assembly Nov. 14-15 were marked with extraordinary unanimity as the bishops' closed-door "fraternal dialogues" gave them time for face-to-face group discussions to work out contentious issues in advance of presentations and votes.

The bishops approved a letter to Pope Francis, affirming their shared concern over global conflicts, his teaching on "ecological conversion," and their commitment to prayerfully reflect on the Synod on Synodality synthesis report.

In their addresses, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and Archbishop Broglio offered contrasting viewpoints on synodality. Cardinal Pierre focused on Luke's Gospel account of the risen Jesus revealing himself to his disciples on the road to Emmaus as illustrating "precisely the synodal path in its essential elements: encountering, accompanying, listening, discerning and rejoicing at what the Holy Spirit reveals." Archbishop Broglio shared his view that existing advisory structures in the U.S. church, both at the diocesan and national level, are examples of existing synodal realities to "recognize and build on" while remaining open to "new possibilities."

Over Nov. 14-15, the bishops voted with overwhelming majorities on every issue: U.S. adaptations to the Liturgy of the Hours and liturgical drafts related to consecrated and religious life; national revised statutes for Christian initiation; and it also approved without controversy supplements to its teaching on faithful citizenship that reference Pope Francis' 2020 encyclical letter "Fratelli Tutti" ("Brothers All") while naming abortion as "our pre-eminent priority" among other threats to human life and dignity.

The U.S. bishops voted to support the sainthood cause launched by the Archdiocese of New York for Father Isaac Hecker (1819-1888), founder of the Paulist Fathers. They also endorsed an effort to declare St. John Henry Newman a "doctor of the church."

The bishops voted to reauthorize their Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism for two more years, discern its future place in the conference structure, and change rules so retired Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry, who is African American, could continue leading that committee.

The U.S. bishops elected Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City as secretary-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and also elected chairmen-elect for six committees -- education, communications, cultural diversity, doctrine, national collections and pro-life activities -- as well as bishops for the boards of Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC, and Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. church's overseas relief and development agency.

A surprise came when the bishops decided to punt approval of a pastoral framework for Indigenous Catholic ministry that they had commissioned four years ago in order to revise and revisit the plan at their June 2024 assembly.

Outside the hotel where the bishops' assembly was held, the Baltimore-based Defend Life organization held a rosary rally led by Bishop Joseph E. Strickland. The event, however, was planned in advance of the bishop learning Nov. 11, just days before the assembly, that Pope Francis had removed him from pastoral governance of his Diocese of Tyler, Texas. About 125 participants, including some clergy and religious, participated.

Bishop Strickland told reporters, including OSV News, that he was told by "the nuncio" -- indicating Cardinal Christophe Pierre -- not to attend the fall plenary meeting. He said he "respected" the decision," as well as his "commitment to be here for this prayer."

Back in the bishops’ assembly, the prelates heard an update on the National Eucharistic Revival revealed attendees of the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21 in Indianapolis now have the option of purchasing single-day and weekend passes, among other provisions to make participation more affordable and flexible, including scholarships and increasing housing options. A plenary indulgence also will be available to anyone who participates in one of the four main routes of the national pilgrimage to the Eucharistic congress.

The bishops also heard an update on the newly launched Institute on the Catechism. Some bishops advocated that instituting lay men and women to the new ministry of catechist would fill a need for authentic, well-formed witnesses to bring that "evangelizing catechesis" to others.

The bishops most sustained public dialogue took place over the mental health campaign launched in response to the "dire mental health crisis" in the U.S. with some bishops calling for more Catholics to enter the mental health field, educating seminarians and priests in properly referring people for counseling, or connecting people with mental health resources similar to the "Walking with Moms In Need" initiative.

With respect to the Oct. 4-29 Synod on Synodality, the bishops heard about positive experiences from some of their delegates, particularly the value of the synod's "conversations in the Spirit" as a model for carrying out regular conversational interaction among the church's members for the sake of the church's mission.

However, by the time the plenary assembly concluded, the bishops did not seem to have any definite process or task force to help them engage the faithful in consultation on the synod's 41-page report summarizing the body's consensus, matters for consideration and priority actions.

During a Nov. 14 press conference, Bishop Flores told OSV News he anticipates it will be discussed in June once bishops have taken the time to "let it sink in and read it carefully." He said what the USCCB could do immediately was request guidance from the Synod Secretariat in Rome, on how to engage their local churches in a focused and relevant way "because the first responsibility of the bishops is to go back to their own people and to say these are some issues that impact us in particular."

He indicated a synodal culture needs to take root in the local church first -- noting parish or diocesan pastoral councils are not used in some places since they are not mandatory -- in order to discern what structures are needed to support it at all levels of the church.

The bishops' showed a move toward deepening that kind of engagement by replacing the USCCB's current strategic planning cycle with a mission planning process that would allow the conference to have defined regular responsibilities and the flexibility to focus on "mission directives that evolve after a process of discernment" that can be informed by bishops engaging in local and regional consultation.

"I think it is more synodal," Archbishop Broglio said in an interview with OSV News, "and I think that will be something that will make a difference in how we address issues and concerns of the church in the United States in a different way, in a new way."

— Peter Jesserer Smith

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Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis attends a Nov. 14, 2023, session of the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)

BALTIMORE — For two days, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in plenary assembly in Baltimore advancing key issues related to liturgy, living out the faith, including in the public square, and retooling the conference to better serve the church's mission.

However, the bishops' Nov. 13-16 meeting, which took place nearly three weeks following the conclusion of the global Synod on Synodality, also concluded without a common game plan for how bishops could get consultative feedback from their local parishes with respect to the synod's "halftime" report before it reconvenes in 11 months.

At the assembly's opening Mass Nov. 13, the bishops prayed for peace, with USCCB president Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in the homily saying they asked for wisdom to help others embrace Jesus Christ, and noting the feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint, and herself an immigrant who championed care for immigrants.

The public portions of the bishops' plenary assembly Nov. 14-15 were marked with extraordinary unanimity as the bishops' closed-door "fraternal dialogues" gave them time for face-to-face group discussions to work out contentious issues in advance of presentations and votes.

The bishops approved a letter to Pope Francis, affirming their shared concern over global conflicts, his teaching on "ecological conversion," and their commitment to prayerfully reflect on the Synod on Synodality synthesis report.

In their addresses, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and Archbishop Broglio offered contrasting viewpoints on synodality. Cardinal Pierre focused on Luke's Gospel account of the risen Jesus revealing himself to his disciples on the road to Emmaus as illustrating "precisely the synodal path in its essential elements: encountering, accompanying, listening, discerning and rejoicing at what the Holy Spirit reveals." Archbishop Broglio shared his view that existing advisory structures in the U.S. church, both at the diocesan and national level, are examples of existing synodal realities to "recognize and build on" while remaining open to "new possibilities."

Over Nov. 14-15, the bishops voted with overwhelming majorities on every issue: U.S. adaptations to the Liturgy of the Hours and liturgical drafts related to consecrated and religious life; national revised statutes for Christian initiation; and it also approved without controversy supplements to its teaching on faithful citizenship that reference Pope Francis' 2020 encyclical letter "Fratelli Tutti" ("Brothers All") while naming abortion as "our pre-eminent priority" among other threats to human life and dignity.

The U.S. bishops voted to support the sainthood cause launched by the Archdiocese of New York for Father Isaac Hecker (1819-1888), founder of the Paulist Fathers. They also endorsed an effort to declare St. John Henry Newman a "doctor of the church."

The bishops voted to reauthorize their Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism for two more years, discern its future place in the conference structure, and change rules so retired Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry, who is African American, could continue leading that committee.

The U.S. bishops elected Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City as secretary-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and also elected chairmen-elect for six committees -- education, communications, cultural diversity, doctrine, national collections and pro-life activities -- as well as bishops for the boards of Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC, and Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. church's overseas relief and development agency.

A surprise came when the bishops decided to punt approval of a pastoral framework for Indigenous Catholic ministry that they had commissioned four years ago in order to revise and revisit the plan at their June 2024 assembly.

Outside the hotel where the bishops' assembly was held, the Baltimore-based Defend Life organization held a rosary rally led by Bishop Joseph E. Strickland. The event, however, was planned in advance of the bishop learning Nov. 11, just days before the assembly, that Pope Francis had removed him from pastoral governance of his Diocese of Tyler, Texas. About 125 participants, including some clergy and religious, participated.

Bishop Strickland told reporters, including OSV News, that he was told by "the nuncio" -- indicating Cardinal Christophe Pierre -- not to attend the fall plenary meeting. He said he "respected" the decision," as well as his "commitment to be here for this prayer."

Back in the bishops’ assembly, the prelates heard an update on the National Eucharistic Revival revealed attendees of the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21 in Indianapolis now have the option of purchasing single-day and weekend passes, among other provisions to make participation more affordable and flexible, including scholarships and increasing housing options. A plenary indulgence also will be available to anyone who participates in one of the four main routes of the national pilgrimage to the Eucharistic congress.

The bishops also heard an update on the newly launched Institute on the Catechism. Some bishops advocated that instituting lay men and women to the new ministry of catechist would fill a need for authentic, well-formed witnesses to bring that "evangelizing catechesis" to others.

The bishops most sustained public dialogue took place over the mental health campaign launched in response to the "dire mental health crisis" in the U.S. with some bishops calling for more Catholics to enter the mental health field, educating seminarians and priests in properly referring people for counseling, or connecting people with mental health resources similar to the "Walking with Moms In Need" initiative.

With respect to the Oct. 4-29 Synod on Synodality, the bishops heard about positive experiences from some of their delegates, particularly the value of the synod's "conversations in the Spirit" as a model for carrying out regular conversational interaction among the church's members for the sake of the church's mission.

However, by the time the plenary assembly concluded, the bishops did not seem to have any definite process or task force to help them engage the faithful in consultation on the synod's 41-page report summarizing the body's consensus, matters for consideration and priority actions.

During a Nov. 14 press conference, Bishop Flores told OSV News he anticipates it will be discussed in June once bishops have taken the time to "let it sink in and read it carefully." He said what the USCCB could do immediately was request guidance from the Synod Secretariat in Rome, on how to engage their local churches in a focused and relevant way "because the first responsibility of the bishops is to go back to their own people and to say these are some issues that impact us in particular."

He indicated a synodal culture needs to take root in the local church first -- noting parish or diocesan pastoral councils are not used in some places since they are not mandatory -- in order to discern what structures are needed to support it at all levels of the church.

The bishops' showed a move toward deepening that kind of engagement by replacing the USCCB's current strategic planning cycle with a mission planning process that would allow the conference to have defined regular responsibilities and the flexibility to focus on "mission directives that evolve after a process of discernment" that can be informed by bishops engaging in local and regional consultation.

"I think it is more synodal," Archbishop Broglio said in an interview with OSV News, "and I think that will be something that will make a difference in how we address issues and concerns of the church in the United States in a different way, in a new way."

— Peter Jesserer Smith

Bishops' fall assembly sees abortion 'pre-eminent' in faithful citizenship, lively discussion of mental health and emphasis on evangelizing

Bishops' fall assembly sees abortion 'pre-eminent' in faithful citizenship, lively discussion of mental health and emphasis on evangelizing

BALTIMORE  — Excitement about the impacts of the National Eucharistic Revival in local dioceses, support for the nomination of St. John Henry Newman as a doctor of the church, and the approval of supplements to the bishops' teaching document on "Faithful Citizenship" featured strongly on the second day of the U.S. bishops' annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

The bishops typically engaged in little to no discussion on agenda items they were set to vote on, which all passed with overwhelming majorities. However, the bishops more vigorously engaged in discussion toward the end of the day with updates on the National Eucharistic Revival and the bishops' National Catholic Mental Health Campaign.

The U.S. bishops began the day with the Latin Church bishops approving U.S. adaptations to the Liturgy of the Hours, the public prayer of the church proper to all the baptized, along with drafts for the blessing of an abbot or abbess; the consecration of virgins and the order of religious profession. Those texts now go to the Vatican's Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for confirmation and recognition.

The bishops also approved a request to ask Rome to include "St. Teresa of Calcutta" as an optional memorial on the Roman Calendar for Sept. 5, and also heard that a request to include Salvadoran martyr St. Oscar Romero would have to be sent to the Vatican "accompanied by a robust letter of support from the president of the conference."

The bishops voted to approve supplements to the bishops' teaching document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," which consists of a new introductory note, bulletin inserts, a template video script and social media kit. A majority of 225 bishops voted yes, 11 voted no and seven abstained.

Quoting Pope Francis' 2020 encyclical letter, "Fratelli Tutti" ("Brothers All"), the new supplements encourage Catholics to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and serve as neighbors to all, while underscoring the threat of abortion as "our pre-eminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone."

The day's surprise came as Bishop Chad W. Zielinski of New Ulm, Minnesota, chair of the Subcommittee on Native American Affairs, requested the postponement of a vote on a comprehensive pastoral framework for Indigenous ministry which was on the agenda.

Bishop Zielinksi said the subcommittee had met the night before to review amendments and decided it needed more time to address them and would re-present the text to the bishops at their 2024 June assembly.

Deacon Don Blackbird, a member of the Omaha Tribe and principal of St. Augustine Indian Mission in Winnebago, Nebraska, told OSV News that he was not surprised by the decision.

"I pray that the bishops will respectfully take the time until then to reflect on the pastoral framework and ultimately reach a decision that honors the Indigenous peoples of the United States," he said in an email.

The bishops also approved revised national statutes for Christian Initiation.

The U.S. bishops also voted nearly unanimously to support the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales in their request for Pope Francis to name St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the church. Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, said the doctrine committee he chairs had studied St. John Henry Newman's writings and recommended the saint as "worthy of this high honor."

A floor discussion followed as Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston asked about the prudence of advocating for a recently declared saint (2019) to be declared a "doctor of the church," while joking he also didn't want 1,900 years to elapse before a saint is named a "doctor of the church" like the first-century St. Irenaeus.

Several bishops spoke from the floor about Newman's relevance to evangelization, the development of a synodal church and his ecumenical admiration, including the respect he holds among the Eastern churches.

Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, also noted the saint unites Catholics on both the "conservative" and "progressive" sides.

"We should take advantage of that and study his writings. It might really help to heal the divisions in the church," he said.

Outside the hotel where the bishops' assembly was held, the Baltimore-based Defend Life organization held a rosary rally led by Bishop Joseph E. Strickland. The event, however, was planned in advance of the bishop learning Nov. 11, just days before the assembly, that Pope Francis had removed him from pastoral governance of his Diocese of Tyler, Texas.

About 125 participants, including some clergy and religious, participated.

Bishop Strickland told reporters, including OSV News, that he was told by "the nuncio" -- indicating Cardinal Christophe Pierre -- not to attend the fall plenary meeting. He said he "respected" the decision," as well as his "commitment to be here for this prayer."

(In an interview with OSV News, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' president Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio said Bishop Strickland is considered "retired," meaning he can participate in the conference but cannot vote. He said any instruction for the bishop not to participate in the assembly "didn't come from us.")

Regarding his future, "I don't know what I'm going to do," Bishop Strickland said. "But, you know, I know the Lord is with me. That's a pretty good place to be."

Back in the bishops' plenary session, Bishop Larry Silva of Honolulu gave a presentation on the bishops' pastoral care of Asian and Pacific Islander communities, which he said were the "third largest segment of the U.S.' Catholic population," and he thanked Cardinal Pierre for his work to have more Asian and Pacific Islander bishops appointed in the U.S.

The bishops also voted to replace the USCCB's current strategic planning cycle with a mission planning process.

While emphasizing the work of streamlining, reducing spending and removing silos at the USCCB, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, the USCCB's new secretary-elect, said the new model would propose two aspects: the normal ordinary responsibilities of the conference and then "mission directives that evolve after a process of discernment."

Archbishop Coakley explained it provided an opportunity to put into action synodality by inviting feedback from bishops, who could be informed by their pastoral and presbyteral councils, with time set aside in regional meetings to distill insights into a few initiatives.

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, and Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, both expressed their support for the development.

"I think it gives us a chance to bring new wind into the life of the conference at a time when we're looking to do things more synodally," Bishop Seitz said.

Archbishop Sample said he appreciated the new process' more acute "sense of mission" and its ability to measure goals.

"I think it's a great way forward," he said. "I think it's going to refine and focus the work of the conference."

However, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, took to the floor to ask how the USCCB was going to head in this direction without new resources. Just prior to the discussion, the bishops passed the USCCB's budget overwhelmingly -- with no increases in its assessment on dioceses for the fourth year in a row despite the effects of inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation calculator, $1.20 in October purchases what $1 did four years earlier.

"Part of that is part of our ongoing discussion," Archbishop Coakley responded. "But I don't know that it would necessarily mean any sort of budgetary increase."

"I'm just speaking as a diocesan bishop who knows that something's got to give, you know," the cardinal said before sitting down.

During a presentation on the National Eucharistic Revival, many bishops spoke about exciting developments taking place in their diocese.

Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, gave an upbeat presentation, noting the bishops are "halfway through this National Eucharistic Revival." He shared that attendees of the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21 in Indianapolis now have the option of purchasing single-day and weekend passes, among other provisions to make participation more affordable and flexible, including scholarship from the bishops' Solidarity Fund. He also mentioned the Apostolic Penitentiary is going to grant a plenary indulgence to anyone who participates in one of the four legs of the pilgrimage to the National Eucharistic Congress.

His figures also indicated the church was also halfway there. Among the Catholic Church's 17,000 parishes in the U.S., the National Eucharistic Revival has "8,000 parish point persons" and over 10,000 downloads of its parish playbook, while the latest statistics on in-person weekly Mass attendance was hovering at 17%, below pre-pandemic levels.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, provided an update on the newly launched Institute on the Catechism to the U.S. Catholic bishops, and said its vision of "evangelizing catechesis" intersected with the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival.

Peter Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America, discussed the mission of the university and encouraged the bishops to learn more about the U.S.'s only pontifical university in Washington and engage in a "robust dialogue" about how it can be of greater service to the church.

The bishops also heard about the USCCB's mental health campaign from Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Barron, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.

The campaign -- announced Oct. 10 to coincide with World Mental Health Day -- is a response to the "dire mental health crisis" the nation now faces, said Archbishop Gudziak in his Nov. 15 address to the bishops' assembly, during which he cited data from the Centers for Disease Control indicating that more than one in five adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness.

The presentation evoked the most sustained discussion over the past two days from the assembly, with many bishops weighing in on the importance of addressing the issue.

Cardinal DiNardo noted that Houston is "running out of psychiatrists, particularly for young people," and emphasized the need for Catholics to enter this profession.
"The lack of such help is very disturbing in the United States," he said.

The day's session concluded with a presentation on how the new lay ministry of the instituted catechist established by Pope Francis can help the U.S. bishops give life to the "evangelizing catechesis" they're seeking to give their people.

During an interview with OSV News on the conference's second day, Archbishop Broglio noted the unity demonstrated by the conference, but also emphasized the bishops most need wisdom and guidance on "how we draw people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

"Obviously, we have some ideas, but we're continually trying to reach out because we recognize that, particularly with young people, we have to find ways to draw them into an experience of the Gospel, an experience of Jesus Christ," he said, paraphrasing an insight from the 2007 Aparecida document then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (Pope Francis) helped draft: "the best thing that has ever happened to a Catholic is to know Jesus Christ. And the best gift he can give to another is to share that experience with him or her … I think that's what we're all striving to do."

 — Peter Jesserer Smith

Bishops OK supplements to 'Faithful Citizenship,' affirm abortion 'preeminent' among issues

Bishops OK supplements to 'Faithful Citizenship,' affirm abortion 'preeminent' among issues

BALTIMORE — The U.S. Catholic bishops approved supplements to "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" -- a teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics -- on Nov. 15 during their annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

"The purpose of these items is to address current, recent policy issues and to incorporate the teachings of Pope Francis since the last update," Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, explained to bishops in a presentation he gave the day before as chair of the task force charged with drafting the supplemental materials.

A new introductory note, five bulletin inserts, and a template video script supplement the document, last updated in 2015, that outlines the bishops' guidance for Catholics in forming their consciences as they exercise their rights and duties as U.S. citizens. The bishops will reexamine the document following the 2024 election.

Archbishop Lori told bishops the materials were the result of "extensive consultation and collaboration among the chairmen of the 10 committees of the conference that make up the task force."

No bishops asked questions of clarification during the preliminary presentation or ahead of the vote.

Two-thirds of the conference membership needed to vote "yes" for approval. A majority of 225 bishops voted yes, 11 voted no, and seven abstained.

While quoting Pope Francis' 2020 encyclical letter, “Fratelli Tutti” ("Brothers All"), the new supplements encourage Catholics to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and serve as neighbors to all.

In years past, the bishops have debated whether to call abortion "our preeminent priority" in the guide. The new introductory note reads: "The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone."

The new introductory letter explains, "The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks life itself, because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed."

At a Nov. 15 press briefing following the vote, Archbishop Lori addressed the language on abortion.

"I think that the protection of the unborn remains a preeminent priority because unborn children who are affected by this are utterly vulnerable, utterly voiceless, and there are so many of them who have died," he said. "And we are called to stand in radical solidarity with women in difficult pregnancies and their unborn children, and to provide them with the kind of support and services and public policies that they need."

"So it's not simply a public policy issue," he said. "It is a deeply, deeply pastoral issue of loving the moms in need, walking with them, helping them bring their babies to term, and then providing them with what they need to move forward."

In addition to abortion, the new introductory letter identifies grave threats to the life and dignity of the human person, including euthanasia, gun violence, terrorism, the death penalty and human trafficking.

"There is also the redefinition of marriage and gender, threats to religious freedom at home and abroad, lack of justice for the poor, the suffering of migrants and refugees, wars and famines around the world, racism, the need for greater access to healthcare and education, care for our common home, and more," it states.

Archbishop Lori also told reporters, "In our midst, there are people who are vulnerable for many, many different reasons. The reason we focus on the unborn as we do is because they are utterly voiceless and defenseless and abortion is a direct taking of human life."

During a Nov. 14 press briefing, the USCCB's president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, addressed the bishops' role concerning abortion as states vote on abortion policy. He stressed the importance of education and the message that "we're talking about human life, and an end to human life -- especially innocent human life -- is just simply not acceptable."

"Our role continues to be one of catechesis and education," he said. "And I think we'll also continue to do whatever we can to influence those who do go to the polls to vote for one question or another."

He said, "I don't think the role has changed very much, other than perhaps we need to make our position clearer."

The bishops' guidance in "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" dates back to 2007. At the 2022 fall plenary assembly, the bishops voted to reissue the document without revisions and include supplemental materials: a new introductory note, multiple bulletin inserts, a template video script, and a social media kit.

With "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," the bishops stress that they do not intend to tell Catholics who to vote for; instead, they identify their purpose as helping Catholics form their consciences.

Catholics, the statement reads, "are called to participate in public life in a manner consistent with the mission of our Lord."

The document is divided into three main parts: a reflection by the bishops on Catholic teaching and political life, a summary of the USCCB's policy positions, and challenges for citizens, candidates, and public officials.

"We urge our pastors, lay and religious faithful, and all people of good will to use this statement to help form their consciences; to teach those entrusted to their care; to contribute to civil and respectful public dialogue; and to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching," the bishops say on their website. "The statement lifts up our dual heritage as both faithful Catholics and American citizens with rights and duties as participants in the civil order."

— Katie Yoder

Archbishop Gudziak: As bishops tackle mental health crisis, parishes can bring comfort through community

Archbishop Gudziak: As bishops tackle mental health crisis, parishes can bring comfort through community

As the U.S. Catholic bishops begin to tackle the issue of mental health amid a national crisis, parishes can ease the pain of mental illness by "helping people to be together" in community and solidarity, said Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

The archbishop spoke with OSV News Nov. 15, between sessions of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' annual fall plenary assembly Nov. 13-16 in Baltimore.

In October, the U.S. bishops launched the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign, led by Archbishop Gudziak, who chairs the USCCB's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.

The USCCB campaign, announced Oct. 10 to coincide with World Mental Health Day, was developed in collaboration with several organizations, among them Catholic Charities USA, the Catholic Health Association, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana, the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults, and the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers.

While the campaign is still in its early stages, one of its initial goals is simply to "encourage people to recognize this illness not as a condemnation, not as a punishment, but something that is to be touched by the Lord and embraced by the community," Archbishop Gudziak told OSV News, speaking ahead of his update to the bishops on the campaign.

The acceptance and support of parish members can provide tremendous solace to those who suffer with mental illness -- whose numbers total more than one in five adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control, Archbishop Gudziak noted in his address to the bishops.

"There's nothing worse, when somebody has a mental illness, than to be rejected and isolated," Archbishop Gudziak told OSV News. "Dealing with mental illness is not easy. There is still a lot of stigma. Nobody wants to be in the category of crazy."

The USCCB campaign began with a novena focusing on particular aspects of mental health, including the impact of stigma, social relationships and factors such as racism and poverty. Saints and others invoked during the novena include St. Dymphna, patron of those with mental illness; St. Martin de Porres, who experienced racial discrimination throughout his life; and Dorothy Day, a servant of God who twice attempted suicide as a young woman.

"We want this whole thing to be accompanied by prayer," Bishop Barron said in his address to the assembly.

The campaign's second stage is "more educational," and aims to create in-person and online "structured conversations" among bishops, clinicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and pastoral experts, Bishop Barron said.

He said in the third stage of the campaign, bishops will seek to "empower Catholics everywhere to advocate for effective legislation that will expand resources for mental health in the U.S."

"The issue is bipartisan," Bishop Barron added. "We've either experienced issues ourselves, or we know someone who carries the burden of depression, anxiety, loneliness, grief or other form of mental illness."

"On a personal note, the suffering of those impacted by the mental health crisis matters deeply to me," said Archbishop Gudziak, noting that one of his archeparchy's priests recently took his own life at age 44, leaving behind a wife and child.

Archbishop Gudziak noted that Bishop John P. Dolan of Phoenix also has "spoken and written eloquently about the mental health issues and suicides" in his own family.

Responding to the update from Archbishop Gudziak and Bishop Barron, Bishop Dolan shared with the assembly that he had lost three siblings and a brother-in-law through suicide, with one sister ending her life on Oct. 10 of last year.

"That you opened up the (mental health) novena on that day (last month) was particularly personally moving to me," Bishop Dolan told those assembled.

Simply "having that conversation" about mental illness and suicide "has opened up doors for people," said Bishop Dolan. "They're coming out and saying that this stigma needs to be erased."

"We're particularly concerned about the mental health state of adolescents," Archbishop Gudziak said, adding that "almost all indicators of poor mental health among high schoolers increased over the past decade."

In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory noting that recent data showed a substantial spike in mental health challenges among young people. That same year, the Centers for Disease Control found that almost 60% of female high school students and close to 70% of students who identify as LGBQ+ had "experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness" during the previous year, with almost 25% of the females making a suicide plan, and close to 25% of the LGBQ+ students actually attempting suicide.

Bishop Barron told the bishops that in his largely online Word on Fire apostolate, he has seen "how social media weighs on the young adults who engage there.

"Their experience of loneliness, isolation (and) anxiety is heartbreaking, and much of that is exacerbated … by social media," said Bishop Barron. "In our committee work at the USCCB, we've tracked the toll it takes on families and young people, in particular the steady increase in suicide and suicide attempts among teens and college students."

Data also "reveals disparate mental health outcomes based on race," said Archbishop Gudziak in his address. "We must pay particular attention to these differences in our pastoral work and advocacy efforts."

Compounding the issue is "the shortage of mental health resources," he told the bishops.

The campaign update from Archbishop Gudziak and Bishop Barron prompted insights and suggestions from a number of bishops.

Several called for an increase in the number of Catholic mental health professionals qualified to address mental illness holistically, through psychiatric, psychological and spiritual treatment modalities.

Culturally sensitive care in a patient's native language and strengthening family bonds also are essential, said several bishops.

Also key to the church's efforts are training seminarians, as future priests, to respond compassionately and wisely to parishioners with mental illness.

"As pastors, we are not mental health professionals, but we can be mental health ministers," Archbishop Gudziak said in his address.

While the effort has "a long way to go" in the face of the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign "seeks to offer hope," Archbishop Gudziak told OSV News. "The Lord is a healer. … And we want to bring each other to the healer. We also want to become healers ourselves in Christ's image."

— Gina Christian

USCCB president on his relationships with Pope Francis and Cardinal Pierre, the synod's influence and Bishop Strickland's status

USCCB president on his relationships with Pope Francis and Cardinal Pierre, the synod's influence and Bishop Strickland's status

BALTIMORE — Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio is just beginning his second year of his three-year term as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He sat down with OSV News during a break at the fall general assembly of bishops in Baltimore Nov. 15 to answer questions about his relationship with Pope Francis and Apostolic Nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre; Pope Francis' comments on the American church; how to help those hurt facing war and violence around the world; the current status of Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, and more. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

OSV News: When we spoke last year, you said that you wanted to continue the good work of Archbishop (José H.) Gomez to foster unity in the church. What continue to be the issues that most divide, and how do you see a path forward?

Archbishop Timothy Broglio: I think there are always questions that, just from the difference in the way people approach things, that can be a source of division. Although I noticed certainly in these two days of public session -- if you look at the votes, and especially the votes for questions that are "yes" or "no" -- they've been overwhelmingly one way or another. So I think that's indicative of a certain unity of thought. And the other thing that I think is very striking: With few exceptions, all of the votes for the candidates for the different offices were all very close to one another. So I mean it's not as if there's tremendous lopsided feelings in the conference. So I think that's a positive sign going forward.

I think there's always going to be a difference in approach between issues like the role of the dignity of the human person and how that's interpreted -- from protection of the infant in the womb to social issues. That's always going to be, you know, where do you put the emphasis? How do you emphasize both at the same time? And I think that's always going to be a source of concern, or a possible source of division, or at least a divergence in how people approach questions.

OSV News: Also when we spoke last year, some were claiming in the media that you were anti-Pope Francis, which you balked at. Given your last year of working more closely with the Holy Father, could you comment a little bit about what that working relationship has been like?

Archbishop Broglio: Of course I saw him right after the election because there was a meeting of the synod on the continental phase of the synod preparations, and so I had an opportunity to be with him. And he was actually very encouraging. He right away said -- you know, we spoke to one another in Spanish -- that, oh, you know, you have a big job now in addition to the big job you already had. He told me not to lose heart, and in that sense he was very encouraging.

Now when we went in April -- you know, the president always has an audience with the pope -- he was very attentive to the questions that we raised. Obviously I don't want to get into specifics, but he spent almost an hour with us, which certainly was extremely generous on his part. And he was very receptive to anything that we wanted to talk to him about. He let us really lead the dialogue, and then he would respond to the different issues about the synod and the North American continental phase, which had been completed by that time, and it was a very positive exchange. So I think the myth of us being somehow on opposite sides of the spectrum is ... a myth.

OSV News: There is an underlying critique among some American Catholics that Pope Francis doesn't understand Catholics in the U.S. Do you think there's any merit to that, and could you elaborate on what that might really mean, in your experience with dealing with him?

Archbishop Broglio: I think Pope Francis is certainly one who's always open to listening to others. That's always amazing. The amount of time that he'll give to audiences, I think, that's certainly been a hallmark of his pontificate -- and I have plenty of experience on which to base that statement. But let's remember Pope Francis' only experience (outside South America) until he became Bishop of Rome was that he lived for three years in Germany. Otherwise, his whole experience is Argentinian. You can't expect him to have an experience or an experiential view of different places. Argentina, in one sense, is a country very much like the United States. There's many, many possibilities. They just haven't been developed in the same way they have been here in the United States. So, I think all of those are factors that would color his vision and also his understanding even of the church in a different reality.

I believe the first time he ever came to the United States was when he came here on his, thus far, one and only papal visit here. And, you know, even if you went to a few places, the United States is a big country. You're not going to discover it in five days. So, I think those are all factors that might lead people to say that he doesn't know the United States or he doesn't know the church in the United States. But I think he's very open to learning about it. And, I think that's something that has to be perhaps emphasized.

When the new students came to the North American College -- the pontifical seminary in the United States -- he gives them a private audience. Let me assure you, no pope in modern history, with the exception of Pius IX, who founded the college, has ever done something like that. So, I think there's a willingness to learn more about the country.

OSV News: On Monday (Nov. 13) in your homily, you preached that the bishops are begging for wisdom so that Catholics might embrace the way of life that Christ offers us. What, in your opinion, is the issue that the U.S. bishops most need that wisdom and guidance on?

Archbishop Broglio: I think it's basically how we draw people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Obviously we have some ideas, but we're continually trying to reach out because we recognize that, particularly with young people, we have to find ways to draw them into an experience of the Gospel, an experience of Jesus Christ. You know, in the Aparecida Document (the concluding document from the Fifth General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2007 that Pope Francis, then a cardinal, helped to draft), there is a statement there that the best thing that has ever -- and I'm paraphrasing it -- the best thing that has ever happened to a Catholic is to know Jesus Christ. And the best gift he can give to another is to share that experience with him or her. And so I think that's what we're all striving to do.

We recognize that we don't have all the answers. We don't always know how to reach everyone. And so that's a desire. I know certainly in my own experience with the youngest archdiocese in the United States, I'm continually looking for ways -- and I'm not speaking about programs -- but ways to reach out to these young people. And, you know, I can get hundreds of them at a Mass on a training base because it's the only time during the day they don't yell at you. But the real question is how to get them to grow in their faith and to continue in the practice of that faith. And I think that's what we really need, an infusion of divine wisdom.

OSV News: You recently returned from a month in Rome with the Synod on Synodality. And you mentioned some of the ways that synodality already exists in the conference. What do you think that you learned from that experience that you think might be worthy of consideration for applying to the conference?

Archbishop Broglio: We do pray together, but I think the intentional invocation of the Holy Spirit was an important factor in the synod gatherings. And I think that might be something we can, at least in our smaller group meetings, we can certainly do that. I'm also excited about the new strategic planning process, which is based on mission. And I think we've just approved something that's much more flexible than the model we had before that. And so I think it is more synodal, and I think that will be something that will make a difference in how we address issues and concerns of the church in the United States in a different way, in a new way.

OSV News: On the note of synodality, both America magazine and The Pillar blog have mentioned that you're at odds with the apostolic nuncio on a vision. Is there any comment or clarification that you'd like to add?

Archbishop Broglio: I don't necessarily agree with the nuncio's assessment as it was presented in America magazine. And I think he would be the first one to say that his view would be much more nuanced than what that interview purported to present. I also think that the United States is very different from Latin America, and it’s very different in terms of how we experience and how we practice our faith. Some of that might come from the fact that for a long time we were kind of in the ghetto. And we've come out of that but that doesn't mean that we can't learn new things. I think the difference between the nuncio's view of the church in the United States and mine has been exaggerated.

OSV News: You mentioned that the delicacy of the present moment in the Middle East is of great concern for you and the bishops, where war has broken out and innocent people are paying such a high price. And you also mentioned in your (Nov. 14) address the many places around the world facing conflict. What do you think the U.S. bishops and U.S. Catholics at large can do to respond to the growing violence and unrest in the world today?

Archbishop Broglio: In about three ways. First and foremost, praying for peace. I think we can never overestimate the power of prayer. Secondly, I think we have to be leaders in our country in promoting civil discourse. It is deplorable that you cannot disagree in a civilized way in this country -- that people do not read something that they think will be against their opinions. It's almost a cultivation of a tunnel vision. And the violence with which people even verbally respond to one another when they disagree is deplorable. And I think we have to change that in our own house before we can go and then try to be peacemakers elsewhere.

And then the third way, I think, is obviously -- and United States Catholics are tremendously generous -- but I think just the financial support of the victims in these conflicts of those who are left behind. And we've been doing that most notably since the Second World War with Catholic Relief Services, but that's a tremendous agency, and it's a tremendous tribute to the U.S. Catholic Church's interest in the rest of the world. And so I think we need to continue to support those kinds of efforts, as well, because so many areas of conflict in the world are also based on situations of poverty and inability of people to survive. And I think if we can help that, then we help, we are also makers of peace.

OSV News: Bishop Joseph Strickland, who was removed from his role as episcopal leader of the Diocese of Tyler just days ago, is here in Baltimore and has said he doesn't have a voice at the USCCB meeting. What is Bishop Strickand's status as a USCCB member?

Archbishop Broglio: As far as the Conference of Catholic Bishops is concerned, he's a retired bishop, which means he has a voice in the conference, but he cannot vote. And I'm unaware of any invitation to him not to come to this meeting. It didn't come from us.

— Michael R. Heinlein

Bishops OK supplements to 'Faithful Citizenship,' affirm abortion 'preeminent' among issues

Bishops OK supplements to 'Faithful Citizenship,' affirm abortion 'preeminent' among issues

BALTIMORE — The U.S. Catholic bishops approved supplements to "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" -- a teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics -- on Nov. 15 during their annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

"The purpose of these items is to address current, recent policy issues and to incorporate the teachings of Pope Francis since the last update," Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, explained to bishops in a presentation he gave the day before as chair of the task force charged with drafting the supplemental materials.

A new introductory note, five bulletin inserts, and a template video script supplement the document, last updated in 2015, that outlines the bishops' guidance for Catholics in forming their consciences as they exercise their rights and duties as U.S. citizens. The bishops will reexamine the document following the 2024 election.

Archbishop Lori told bishops the materials were the result of "extensive consultation and collaboration among the chairmen of the 10 committees of the conference that make up the task force."

No bishops asked questions of clarification during the preliminary presentation or ahead of the vote.

Two-thirds of the conference membership needed to vote "yes" for approval. A majority of 225 bishops voted yes, 11 voted no, and seven abstained.

While quoting Pope Francis' 2020 encyclical letter, “Fratelli Tutti” ("Brothers All"), the new supplements encourage Catholics to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and serve as neighbors to all.

In years past, the bishops have debated whether to call abortion "our preeminent priority" in the guide. The new introductory note reads: "The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone."

The new introductory letter explains, "The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks life itself, because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed."

At a Nov. 15 press briefing following the vote, Archbishop Lori addressed the language on abortion.

"I think that the protection of the unborn remains a preeminent priority because unborn children who are affected by this are utterly vulnerable, utterly voiceless, and there are so many of them who have died," he said. "And we are called to stand in radical solidarity with women in difficult pregnancies and their unborn children, and to provide them with the kind of support and services and public policies that they need."

"So it's not simply a public policy issue," he said. "It is a deeply, deeply pastoral issue of loving the moms in need, walking with them, helping them bring their babies to term, and then providing them with what they need to move forward."

In addition to abortion, the new introductory letter identifies grave threats to the life and dignity of the human person, including euthanasia, gun violence, terrorism, the death penalty and human trafficking.

"There is also the redefinition of marriage and gender, threats to religious freedom at home and abroad, lack of justice for the poor, the suffering of migrants and refugees, wars and famines around the world, racism, the need for greater access to healthcare and education, care for our common home, and more," it states.

Archbishop Lori also told reporters, "In our midst, there are people who are vulnerable for many, many different reasons. The reason we focus on the unborn as we do is because they are utterly voiceless and defenseless and abortion is a direct taking of human life."

During a Nov. 14 press briefing, the USCCB's president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, addressed the bishops' role concerning abortion as states vote on abortion policy. He stressed the importance of education and the message that "we're talking about human life, and an end to human life -- especially innocent human life -- is just simply not acceptable."

"Our role continues to be one of catechesis and education," he said. "And I think we'll also continue to do whatever we can to influence those who do go to the polls to vote for one question or another."

He said, "I don't think the role has changed very much, other than perhaps we need to make our position clearer."

The bishops' guidance in "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" dates back to 2007. At the 2022 fall plenary assembly, the bishops voted to reissue the document without revisions and include supplemental materials: a new introductory note, multiple bulletin inserts, a template video script, and a social media kit.

With "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," the bishops stress that they do not intend to tell Catholics who to vote for; instead, they identify their purpose as helping Catholics form their consciences.

Catholics, the statement reads, "are called to participate in public life in a manner consistent with the mission of our Lord."

The document is divided into three main parts: a reflection by the bishops on Catholic teaching and political life, a summary of the USCCB's policy positions, and challenges for citizens, candidates, and public officials.

"We urge our pastors, lay and religious faithful, and all people of good will to use this statement to help form their consciences; to teach those entrusted to their care; to contribute to civil and respectful public dialogue; and to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching," the bishops say on their website. "The statement lifts up our dual heritage as both faithful Catholics and American citizens with rights and duties as participants in the civil order."

— Katie Yoder

U.S. bishops move forward with Institute on the Catechism

U.S. bishops move forward with Institute on the Catechism

BALTIMORE — Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, provided an update on the newly launched Institute on the Catechism to the U.S. Catholic bishops Nov. 15 during their annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

Housed within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis, the outreach initiative launched in 2022 to "proclaim a kerygmatic, evangelizing catechesis to the Catholic faithful in the United States, through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the guidance of the Directory for Catechesis."

As chair of the bishops' Subcommittee on the Catechism, which is responsible for the institute, Bishop Caggiano listed recent milestones: Father Daniel J. Mahan, a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, began serving as director in July; a new handbook to guide writers and editors of the creation of catechetical resources is nearing completion; and an upcoming Institute on the Catechism Convocation will be held in Mundelein, Illinois, June 17-20.

Bishop Caggiano also shared with Our Sunday Visitor that they now have an accompaniment specialist who is dedicated solely to walking with bishops and their staff.

During his remarks, he cited the institute's work as in line with the Vatican's Directory for Catechesis, issued in 2020, where, he said, Pope Francis "calls us to embrace kerygmatic catechesis and to see catechesis within the larger lens of evangelization."

"Catechesis is a privileged moment within a larger process of announcing good news, that is the good news of Christ's offer and message of forgiveness and mercy, love and salvation, offered to every human person," he stressed.

The institute's phrasing of "evangelizing catechesis," he said, summarizes this imperative. The institute, on its website, defines evangelizing catechesis as seeking "to deepen a personal encounter with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit."

"Such opportunities to encounter the Lord through the power of truth, through the exposition most especially of that which we believe, the richness of beauty and the power of goodness," Bishop Caggiano said, "creates a relationship with the Lord that deepens over an entire lifetime, that addresses the whole person, his or her heart and mind and will, and seeks ongoing personal conversion so that every believer can know, love, and serve the Lord in mission in the world."

He highlighted its participation with the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival -- a movement to renew the church by enkindling a living relationship with Christ in the holy Eucharist.

"Such a personal relationship with the Lord will also lead to an ever fuller participation in the sacramental life of the church, culminating in the full, active, and conscious participation in the Eucharist," he said. "We are living in the midst of many blessings coming out of the Eucharistic Revival, and allow me to suggest that those blessings can have generational change if you and I work together to make this vision a reality."

Bishop Caggiano first proposed creating an Institute for the Catechism at the bishops' 2021 spring meeting. The institute aligns with the bishops' Subcommittee on the Catechism, which assists the U.S. bishops as the chief catechists in their dioceses while promoting the authentic implementation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Ahead of his update, Bishop Caggiano told Our Sunday Visitor about his focus with the institute.

"Most of my remarks are going to remind the bishops why we have an institute in the first place," he said. "And of course it's all about this new model, this new vision of evangelizing catechesis, what the Holy Father calls kerygmatic catechesis."

He shared that the institute would "dramatically" affect the lives of everyday Catholics.

"There's a line in my presentation that says we are seeking transformational change, and therefore, we need to embrace a spirit of patience and humility because it will take time for the real spiritual fruit to be shown," he added.

He expressed a need for change.

"Basically, right now we see, in many classrooms, in many parishes, that confirmation is graduation. They leave," he said. "We have many parents, for example, who are totally divorced from the formation of their children. We have young couples, for example, who are coming forward to marriage and perhaps have a day of formation and that's it."

"The culture has to radically change to say that we're always in formation, that the formation is mind, heart, and will, that formation is lifelong, that it starts with a recognition that this Jesus (is) someone who's coming as my savior -- savior from my restlessness, my anxiety, my sin, from death," he said. "And I'm going to walk with him."

He presented an analogy to illustrate evangelizing catechesis: Falling in love.

"If you really fall in love with a person, truly, fully in love, then you're going to sacrifice for the person, and do what's good for the person, you could even give up your life for that person," he said. "That's the discipleship in Jesus Christ. That's the vision of evangelizing catechesis."

— Katie Yoder

U.S. bishops support request for pope to name St. John Henry Newman doctor of the church

U.S. bishops support request for pope to name St. John Henry Newman doctor of the church

BALTIMORE — The U.S. bishops voted almost unanimously (with two "no" votes) Nov. 15 to support of a request by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales that Pope Francis name St. John Henry Newman, the 19th-century British cardinal, a doctor of the church.

Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, chair of the doctrine committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, presented the question to the body of bishops. A majority of members present and voting was needed to pass the motion.

Bishop Flores said in June the conference received the request from Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, requesting "that the USCCB send a letter in support of the proposal." He noted that the conferences of the Catholic bishops of Ireland and Scotland also have agreed to support this also have agreed to support this petitionary process.

"The Committee on Doctrine considered this matter back in 2019 and concluded that the writings of St. John Henry Newman are truly eminent and of great relevance for the church today, especially in the areas of the development of doctrine, the moral foundations of education, the primacy of conscience, the role of the laity and the search for the truth, amongst many others," Bishop Flores said. "The committee therefore determined that St. John Henry Newman is indeed worthy of this high honor."

The question received great support from bishops from the floor, including Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley of Boston, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and several others.

With the approval of the bishops, a letter will be sent to Pope Francis indicating their support, Bishop Flores said.

Born in London in 1801, John Henry Newman was ordained an Anglican priest in 1825. He later founded the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the Catholic roots of Anglicanism.
After a series of clashes with Anglican bishops made him a virtual outcast from the Church of England, he joined the Catholic Church at age 44 and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1846.

Pope Leo XIII made him a cardinal in 1879 while respecting his wishes not to be ordained a bishop. A theologian and poet, Cardinal Newman died in 1890; his sainthood cause was opened in 1958. Pope Benedict XVI beatified him in Birmingham, England, in 2010.
Pope Francis declared Cardinal Newman a saint Oct. 13, 2019.

If he is eventually declared a doctor of the church -- defined by the church as a saint who, through his or her research, study and writing, has advanced the mission and teaching of Jesus Christ and his church -- he would join 37 men and women who have earned that prestigious title. Most recently, Pope Francis issued a decree declaring St. Irenaeus a doctor of the church in January 2022. Prior to that, St. Gregory of Narek received the title in April 2015, also by Pope Francis.

The original four doctors of the church were St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome. Four women -- St. Teresa of Avila, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Hildegard of Bingen -- hold the title.

At a symposium held on the eve of Cardinal Newman's canonization in 2019, Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet made a case for why Newman should be declared a doctor of the church.

"The depth of this man of God and the place he now occupies in Catholicity make us aware of the void his absence would have left if he had not been," Cardinal Ouellet said. The cardinal particularly pointed to the new saint's teaching that "in order to keep its integrality, the faith of the church must adapt its language to the cultural challenges and the dangers of heresy."
Newman's teaching on the development of doctrine held that "although the deposit (of faith) does not change, the church's knowledge of it progresses, deepens and is expressed in a new way, always faithful to the original idea," the cardinal said.

Cardinal Ouellet also spoke about how Cardinal Newman influenced theologians involved in the Second Vatican Council.

Father Ian Ker, author of more than 20 books about St. John Henry Newman, told Catholic News Service in Rome Oct. 12, 2019, "What's especially important for me is this (canonization) enables him to be made a doctor of the church, because I believe he is the doctor par excellence of the post-conciliar period like St. Robert Bellarmine is of the Tridentine period."

Gregory K. Hillis, a professor of theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, who attended the canonization, agreed, saying that Newman's attempts to "rediscover early Christianity and the wealth it could provide the contemporary church" had a strong impact on Vatican II's attempts "to conserve the whole tradition, not just medieval expressions of it."

"Newman does not fit comfortably into the traditionalist camp nor the progressive camp," he said. "Traditionalists need to remember Newman's willingness to speak up to the hierarchy, his willingness to draw upon more than just medieval sources, and the progressives can learn from the seriousness with which he took the tradition and engaged with it."

Carl Olson, in an essay for OSV's SimplyCatholic.com, said St. John Henry Newman's theological knowledge, his masterful literary abilities and his holiness were three of the many impressive qualities of the man.

"Given Cardinal Newman’s reputation during his lifetime, both for his prodigious intellect and for his personal sanctity, support for his canonization not surprisingly began at his death. An article in America magazine in 1941, along with Pope Pius XII’s support of the 1945 'Centenary of Newman’s Conversion,' played essential roles in moving the process along," he wrote.

During a presentation by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on the occasion of the first centenary of the death of Cardinal Newman April 28, 1990, the future pope said that "throughout his entire life, Newman was a person converting, a person being transformed, and thus he always remained and became ever more himself."

"The characteristic of the great doctor of the church, it seems to me, is that he teaches not only through his thought and speech but also by his life, because within him, thought and life are interpenetrated and defined. If this is so, then Newman belongs to the great teachers of the church, because he both touches our hearts and enlightens our thinking."

— OSV News

First day of U.S. bishops' November meeting focuses on synodality, technology in liturgy, and advancing a cause of canonization

First day of U.S. bishops' November meeting focuses on synodality, technology in liturgy, and advancing a cause of canonization

BALTIMORE  — The first public day of the U.S. Catholic bishops' fall plenary assembly in Baltimore saw elections to important posts, while public presentations chiefly centered on synodality, the use of technology in the liturgy and advancing the cause for canonization of a champion of evangelizing through media.

But the day's events also were marked by little public discussion from the floor. The Nov. 14 public session was prefaced by 90 minutes of closed-door "fraternal dialogues," which gave bishops time for face-to-face group discussions.

The bishops' first order of business was voting to approve a letter to Pope Francis that affirmed their shared concern with the pontiff over the conflicts engulfing the world, their desire to facilitate "prayer and dialogue around the reflections of the synthesis report" from the synod and his recent environmental teaching in "Laudate Deum" calling for "ecological conversion."

The morning session began with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., giving a reflection on synodality and its relationship to the U.S. bishops' ongoing National Eucharistic Revival.

While acknowledging the "synodal method has been a challenge for us," he explained that "these two realities belong together by their very nature, and they shed light on one another."

The address by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services, focused principally on international conflicts taking place around the world, highlighting various Catholic groups committed to the church's evangelization, and emphasizing that more could be done to further the National Eucharistic Revival. He called particular attention to the role of "committed priests on fire with the Gospel" who "motivate so much of the charitable outreach of the church."

Archbishop Broglio emphasized what he saw as "the many synodal realities that already exist in the church in the United States," naming various advisory bodies at the diocesan level, the National Advisory Council and "the committees of this conference."

"That is not to say that we do not have to grow and open ourselves to new possibilities, but we recognize and build on what is already present," he said. "We open our hearts to the action of the Holy Spirit and we listen to that voice."

The only moment of significant disagreement during the day took place at the midday press conference. In response to a question from The Pillar, Archbishop Broglio said he differed with Cardinal Pierre's assessment of the U.S. church (as characterized by America magazine's interview with him) that appeared to indicate the nuncio saw the U.S. church was not yet the outward-facing, missionary church Pope Francis was asking it to become.

In contrast to Cardinal Pierre's assessment that the churches and seminaries were emptying, and religious sisters disappearing, Archbishop Broglio said, "Certainly, our churches are not empty -- yet," emphasizing the efforts of the National Eucharistic Revival and other initiatives promoting the need to share the Good News, and he mentioned some seminaries were at capacity.

The bishops voted overwhelmingly to reauthorize their Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism for two more years and to evaluate whether or how it should be a permanent part of the conference structure. They made a one-time change to their handbook rules so retired Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry could continue as the committee's chairman; the rules prohibit a retired bishop from serving as a committee's chairman.

In one of the few comments from the floor, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, affirmed, "The matter (racism) is still very much present in many places ... so I'm very appreciative of the committee's own work."

Bishop Steven J. Lopes of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, a kind of Catholic diocese with Anglican traditions under the auspices of the pope, presented on liturgical adaptations for the U.S. Liturgy of the Hours set to be voted on the next day. He also gave a presentation asking whether the U.S. bishops wanted the Committee on Divine Worship, which he chairs, to develop national guidelines regarding the use of technology in the church's liturgy.

The bishops spent 20 minutes discussing a sheet of questions on the topic, and were asked to jot them down so they could be collected and considered. According to a document provided to OSV News, those questions asked for feedback on the committee's previous determination "that copyright permission would not be granted to project readings and liturgical texts onto screens."

The document also asked about livestream liturgies and screens in liturgies, whether they were used well or poorly, and for both it asked what "opportunities and threats does this practice present?" It also asked if any dioceses in the bishops' respective regions issued guidelines regarding the use of technology in the liturgy. It also asked them whether "new national guidelines merit further consideration," noting that the U.S. bishops last issued guidelines on digital transmission of the liturgy in 1996.

Bishop Lopes declined a request from OSV News to discuss either the liturgical adaptations under discussion or the concerns surrounding the use of technology in the liturgy.

The U.S. bishops elected Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City as secretary-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops also voted for chairmen-elect for six committees: Bishop David M. O'Connell of Trenton, New Jersey (Catholic education); Bishop William D. Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, (communications); Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, New York (cultural diversity in the church); Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of Brooklyn (doctrine); Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg of Reno, Nevada (national collections); and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, (pro-life activities).

They also reappointed the bishops for the boards of Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC, and Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. church's overseas relief and development agency.

The bishops heard presentations on the pastoral plan for Indigenous Catholic ministry; the revised national statutes for Christian initiation; and supplements to the bishops' teaching document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" that consist of a new introductory note, bulletin inserts, a template video script and social media kit.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, the conference's vice president, presented on the supplements to the bishops' teaching document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," which consists of a new introductory note, bulletin inserts, a template video script and social media kit. He also reminded bishops that a full rewrite of Faithful Citizenship was planned following the 2024 election.

Unlike the bishops' assembly last year, no bishops rose to debate or offer comment on the plan.

Toward the end of the day, Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and Father Iván Montelongo, a priest from the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, shared with the bishops their positive experiences of the Oct. 4-29 Synod on Synodality.

Bishop Flores highlighted how the synod's model of "conversation in the Spirit" was a "very effective way," while not the only way, of having the people of God engage in regular conversational interaction for the sake of the church's mission. He noted the synthesis report was 41 pages and so bishops "can be judicious in discussing what is most relevant to our local churches." Overall, he said it raised "thoughtful questions of pastoral and theological importance."

"Many difficult issues were raised but they were not discussed in a contentious way," Bishop Flores said. "This is in itself quite remarkable."

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, asked one of the few questions of the day, encouraging the bishops to "read the whole" synthesis report, saying it was "worth it." He also thanked the Orthodox observers at the USCCB meeting for their participation in the Synod on Synodality, calling it a "great gift."

The U.S. bishops voted to support the sainthood cause launched by the Archdiocese of New York for Father Isaac Hecker (1819-1888), a Catholic convert and pioneering Catholic publisher who founded the Paulist Fathers.

"Ultimately, this is what we're about: promoting and directing our faithful and ourselves towards sanctity," Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, said in introducing the cause with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York.

The plenary assembly concluded abruptly, with Archbishop Broglio calling the U.S. bishops into an unscheduled executive session. No reason was given.

 — Peter Jesserer Smith

Synod, Eucharist are interconnected, with work needed to live out fullness of both, say bishops

Synod, Eucharist are interconnected, with work needed to live out fullness of both, say bishops

BALTIMORE — The Eucharist and synodality are interconnected, said prelates attending the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' annual fall plenary assembly Nov. 13-15. Synodality, they said, ensures the faithful's communication so the church can fulfill its Eucharistic mission.

The October meeting of the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican was a touchpoint for several bishops speaking Nov. 14, including the conference's president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, who heads the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S.

Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, both synod delegates, also shared about their experience with the assembly.

In his welcoming address at the USCCB assembly, Cardinal Pierre said that synodality and the National Eucharistic Revival now underway in the U.S. may "at first glance" seem unrelated, but in reality "belong together by their very nature" and "shed light on one another."

The story of Christ's post-Resurrection appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, recounted in Luke 24:13-35, "shows how the synodal process leads to an eye-opening encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, and how the Eucharist sends us on a mission characterized by synodality," he said. "What Jesus does with the disciples on the way to Emmaus is precisely the synodal path in its essential elements: encountering, accompanying, listening, discerning and rejoicing at what the Holy Spirit reveals."

Bishop Flores, who chairs the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine and is tasked with shepherding the synodal process in the U.S., told the bishops that the synod's method of "conversation in the Spirit" was an effective way to promote listening.

The technique, which combines silence, sharing and prayer, promotes greater empathy and collaboration, said Father Iván Montelongo, a priest of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, who is among the 11 U.S. synod delegates.

Addressing the assembly Nov. 14, Father Montelongo shared that such conversation in the Spirit enabled the synod participants to "arrive at a common ground even on difficult topics," and to "acknowledge our differences, our divergences, avoiding unnecessary conflict."

The synod "was a moment of encounter, of deep listening, not only listening to doctrine or ideas, but to lived experiences in which the Gospel becomes incarnate" across the world, Father Montelongo told the bishops.

Synod delegate Cynthia Bailey Manns from Minneapolis, one of the U.S. lay delegates, also addressed the bishops in a brief video.

Speaking to the bishops alongside Bishop Flores, Bishop Rhoades called the synod "an experience of the beautiful universality of the church and of our communion in faith and love for the Lord and the church."

Bishop Flores said conversation "implies more than talking and listening," and "involves sharing a way of life and a style of life" marked by "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23.

He said that experience happens at a level that is "local and particular," but at the same time, "the particular life of the community … can bear the sacramental imprint of the whole" church.

Archbishop Broglio told the assembled bishops that while the synod stressed "how much we can work together as parts of the body of Christ," he simultaneously "reflected on the many synodal realities that already exist in the church in the United States."

He highlighted the "collegial atmosphere" and "excellent consideration and interaction that typifies the work of the National Advisory Council, the work of diocesan pastoral councils, presbyteral councils, review boards, school boards and so many other organizations," including USCCB committees.

Speaking with reporters, Bishop Rhoades said the synod has been more than a "sharing of experience," but also an exploration of "theological convictions." Referring to the synod's synthesis report released Oct. 28, he said, "One of the things that's being called for is a deeper theological reflection on some of these issues."

Bishop Flores told reporters that synod delegates "became aware as to where the edge of the theological questions lie," and stressed the importance of identifying theological questions accurately "because if you ask the wrong question, you get the wrong answer."

At the same time, he said, the full synodal potential of existing entities such as diocesan and parish pastoral councils has not been realized, and called for more effective use of those consultative bodies.

In his assembly address, Bishop Flores said that during the synod session, "great attention was given to how our sense of mission can and must flow more cohesively from the communion that baptism generates" and that "the laity, by virtue of baptism, have an indispensable role in the mission of the church is not in doubt."

"The questions are about how co-responsibility can be encouraged and facilitated in a way that respects the doctrinal principles that undergird ecclesial life and sound pastoral practice," he said.

The second session of the synod -- formally titled "For a Synodal
Church: Communion, Participation and Mission" -- will be held in October 2024.

In both his address and remarks to reporters, Bishop Flores stressed the importance of reading and reflecting upon the synthesis document, through which "we can hear the many issues that the local churches around the world grapple with."

"The synod offers us a Catholic way to do this grappling faithfully, realistically, prayerfully, thoughtfully and charitably," Bishop Flores told the assembly. "We have a lot of work to do, but we, together with our people, can be hopeful that we can do so together, because we all here especially need to be actively involved in this conversation."

— Gina Christian, Peter Jesserer Smith

Bishops elect USCCB secretary-elect, chairmen-elect of 6 standing committees

Bishops elect USCCB secretary-elect, chairmen-elect of 6 standing committees

BALTIMORE — The U.S. bishops Nov. 14 elected Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City as secretary-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He won with 187 votes over his challenger, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, who received 55 votes.

Archbishop Coakley was elected secretary last year to complete the term left vacant when Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, then the secretary, was elected to a three-year term as conference president. The USCCB secretary also serves as chairman of the Committee on Priorities and Plans.

The bishops also voted for chairman-elect of six standing committees. The names of the committees follow, in alphabetical order, with the new chairman-elect and vote tally follow:

-- Committee on Catholic Education: Bishop David M. O'Connell of Trenton, New Jersey, 144; Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, 101.

-- Committee on Communications: Bishop William D. Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, 142; Coadjutor Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne of Hartford, Connecticut, 103.

-- Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church: Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, 126; Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, 116.

-- Committee on Doctrine: Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of Brooklyn, 125; Bishop John F. Doerfler of Marquette, Michigan, 118.

-- Committee on National Collections:Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg of Reno, Nevada, 146; Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, Missouri, 97.

-- Committee on Pro-Life Activities: Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, 161;
Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, 84.

Archbishop Coakley will serve one year as "elect" and the chairmen-elect also will each serve for one year as "elect" before they each begin a three-year term in their respective positions at the conclusion of the fall plenary assembly in 2024, when the current committee chairmen complete their three-year term.

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, was elected as the chairman of the pro-life committee during the November 2022 plenary to complete the term left vacant when Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore was elected conference vice president.

The other chairmen whose terms heading standing committees end in 2024 are: Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane, Washington, Catholic education; Auxiliary Bishop Robert P. Reed of Boston, communications; Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Cepeda of Detroit, cultural diversity; Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, doctrine; and Bishop James S. Wall of Gallup, New Mexico, national collections.

In other elections, the bishops reconfirmed bishops who are currently board members of Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ overseas relief and development agency: Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas; Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of Monterey, California; Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey; Bishop Luis R. Zarama of Raleigh, North Carolina; and retired Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros of Brooklyn. The bishops also confirmed the appointment of two new members of the CRS board: Auxiliary Bishop Robert P. Reed of Boston and Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of Yakima, Washington.

The bishops also confirmed the appointment of two prelates to the board of the Catholic Legal immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC: Archbishop George Leo Thomas of Las Vegas and Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. of Washington.

— OSV News

USCCB president calls for continued prayer in world where 'peace seems so far away'

USCCB president calls for continued prayer in world where 'peace seems so far away'

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks during a news conference at a Nov. 14, 2023, session of the bishops' fall general assembly in Baltimore. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)BALTIMORE — The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 14 urged his brother bishops and all the Catholic faithful to "continue to pray" when "peace seems so far away" in today's world.

"Our thoughts readily turn to the Holy Land, sacred to all three monotheistic religions," Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese of the Military Services said in his presidential address.

"We recognize and defend the right of Israel to exist and to enjoy a place among the nations. At the same time, we know that the Palestinians, who represent the majority of Christians in the Holy Land while still being a minority themselves, have a right to a land that is their own," he said. "The Holy See has long advocated for that right and we also plead for them."

Archbishop Broglio noted that organizations such as the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association "make concrete our commitment to those who suffer and involve Catholics in our nation in a personal way in the suffering of the Holy Land and among her neighbors."

Those neighbors include Syria, which he said has been almost "forgotten in the deliberations of the powerful," and Lebanon, which has long shouldered the burden of millions of refugees, he noted. The archbishop also highlighted the struggle of "our Ukrainian sisters and brothers" against "unjust aggression," the oppression against the church in Nicaragua and the imprisonment of Bishop Rolando Álvarez there, the "delicate nature" of the Catholic Church's situation in Myanmar and the ongoing crisis in Haiti.

"Unfortunately, it would be easy to continue with a list of areas of conflict in our world," he said.

"Certainly, we pray that the Prince of Peace might enlighten those who determine the fate of nations," he said. Archbishop Broglio reminded the bishops how they prayed for peace at their opening Mass Nov. 13, "and I know that we are ready to advocate for lasting peace."

He praised the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace for working "tirelessly ... to keep the bishops abreast of the developments in these situations and to encourage, within the limits of what is possible, avenues of dialogue and assistance."

"As successors of the apostles, we participate in the mandate that Christ gave at the Ascension: 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,'" he said. "It continues to be a daunting task."

The archbishop also talked about his time as a delegate to the first session of the Synod on Synodality Oct. 4-29 at the Vatican; the synod's second session will be next October.

"Different cultures and different perceptions always enrich," he said. "It is ... important to listen to each other. Personally, I saw many old friends and met new ones. I was also painfully reminded of the needs of so many younger churches."

He also noted that he sees collegiality and "many synodal realities" that exist now in the U.S. church through the deliberations of the USCCB's various committees and how their members interact for the sake of the wider church and in the work of presbyteral and pastoral councils.

"That is not to say that we do not have to grow and open ourselves to new possibilities, but we recognize and build on what is already present," he said. "We open our hearts to the action of the Holy Spirit and we listen to that voice."

He spoke of the National Eucharistic Revival and the U.S. church's effort "to call our daughters and sons home to the fullness of life in Christ in the sacraments," and praised other initiatives with this as their goal, including the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, NET Ministries, Cursillo and so many others.

"On behalf of all the bishops, I thank those who strive to instill vibrancy, commitment and renewal into our faith communities while reaching out to the peripheries at the same time," he said.

"On the front lines of these efforts are our committed priests on fire with the Gospel," he said. "They are our first collaborators and we are so dependent on their tireless efforts." The archbishop said he is encouraged by "young men preparing in the seminaries" for the priesthood, calling them "a sign of hope for the future."

"We are unified in our commitment to Jesus Christ and his Gospel," he told his brother bishops. "We may approach the mission in different ways, but we are convinced that our mandate is to bring everyone to an experience of Jesus Christ who leaves no one indifferent or the same."

He said he hoped the bishops' plenary assembly, with its full agenda and opportunities "for fraternal exchanges," would "enrich each of us and send us home with renewed zeal for the mission we have in common."

The USCCB president encouraged them to return "emboldened" by the zeal of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. canonized saint known for her care of the poor, marginalized populations and immigrants, who "never really let anything stop her." Archbishop Broglio concluded his address with a reference to the Book of Revelation, "Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

 — Julie Asher

U.S. bishops open fall assembly with prayer, reflection and a Mass for peace

BALTIMORE — Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, led his brother bishops in prayer for wisdom as they began their fall plenary assembly in Baltimore Nov. 13 with a Mass for peace.

The archbishop was the homilist for the Mass at the historic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first Catholic cathedral in the United States. The Mass followed a morning of prayer, reflection and confession.

The morning also included a welcome to the Baltimore Archdiocese, the first Catholic diocese in the United States, by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who is vice president of the USCCB.

"Living our faith, we open our plenary session in this historic basilica, home to so many meetings and councils of the vibrant Church in the United States," said Archbishop Broglio in his homily.

"At the beginning of our plenary session we beg for wisdom because we recognize that we are servants of the truth and charged to find ways to help those entrusted to our care welcome that truth, see its logic, and embrace the way of life that Christ holds out for us," he said. "We do so in many ways as we work in Synodal fashion to serve the Church in this part of the world."

The prayers of the Mass were offered for peace and reconciliation in a troubled world, and Archbishop Broglio pointed out the significance of the plenary opening on the feast of St. Frances Cabrini, patron saint of immigrants.

"It seems supremely eloquent that our first saint came over on a ship in the 19th century like many of our grandparents. She can only bless the tireless work to ensure a dignified welcome, which is a constant care of this assembly of bishops," he said.

Archbishop Broglio also reminded his brother bishops of the current situation in the Middle East.

"The suffering and death of the innocent on both sides continues to horrify people of goodwill as well, as Pope Francis reminded us yesterday," he said, referring to the pope's words during the Angelus.

The pontiff said Nov. 12 that every day he remembers the suffering Palestinians and Israelis, prays for them and he offers his "embrace" at this "dark moment." He appealed for a stop to the violence, immediate rescue efforts and humanitarian aid for all.

Archbishop Broglio said, "We pray for world leaders that they might find solutions to bring peace to every troubled corner of the world."

St. Frances Cabrini "even obliged the poor to give from their poverty to help those more needy than they," the archbishop said in concluding his homily. "It was also a way of insisting on the dignity of all and the common responsibility for others. It is a message that is very appropriate today and every day. … Charity demands our attention to the little ones, the weak, the simple, fraternal correction and unlimited pardon to those who ask."

The two public days of the assembly, Nov. 14 and 15, promised a packed agenda for the bishops.

Archbishop Broglio is scheduled to give a presidential address to open the public sessions the morning of Nov. 14.

But before his remarks, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S. will speak to the bishops for the first time as a cardinal. Cardinal Christophe Pierre received his red hat from Pope Francis at the consistory held Sept. 30, days before the Synod on Synodality Oct. 4-29. His address is expected to continue emphasizing the importance of synodality to the church's mission entrusted to them by Jesus Christ.

Three delegates who attended the first session of the synod also will share their experiences with the U.S. bishops: Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas; Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana; and Father Iván Montelongo, a priest from the Diocese of El Paso, Texas.

Among the tasks facing the U.S. bishops is taking the 41-page synod synthesis report back to the faithful of their local churches for consultation and feedback that can help inform the discernment of the synod's second and final global session in October 2024.

The U.S. bishops also are electing their new secretary, and also chairmen for six standing committees on Catholic education, communications, cultural diversity in the church, doctrine, national collections and pro-life activities.

Also on Nov. 14, the U.S. bishops' chair of the Committee on Divine Worship, Bishop Steven J. Lopes of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, will give a preliminary presentation on U.S. adaptations to the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the public prayer of the church proper to all the baptized, and also drafts related to the blessing of an abbot or abbess, and the consecration of virgins, for votes the next day by the Latin Church bishops.

On Nov. 15, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, is set to give updates on the National Eucharistic Revival, its three-year initiative to renew Catholic belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and the National Eucharistic Congress planned for Indianapolis in 2024.

The bishops also will hear a presentation on the implementation of "Encountering Christ in Harmony," the pastoral response to Asian and Pacific Islander Catholics they authorized in 2018.

The bishops are getting an update on their newly launched mental health campaign from Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chair of the USCCB's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, along with Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, chair of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.

In other action items during their assembly's two days of public sessions, the bishops will decide whether to approve a new introductory note, five bulletin inserts, and a template video script to supplement their teaching "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship"; will vote on "Keeping Christ's Sacred Promise: A Pastoral Framework for Indigenous Ministry" as a formal statement from the body of bishops; will be asked to support the request of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales to ask Pope Francis to name St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the church; and will vote on the reauthorization of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism for a period of two years.

 — OSV News