US bishops announce nominees for upcoming leadership elections
This year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather Nov. 10–13 in Baltimore for its Fall Plenary Assembly. One of the key agenda items is electing the organization’s next president and vice president.
The 10 nominees — elected by their peers — include some of the most prominent episcopal voices in the U.S. Church today:
Bishop Robert Barron (Winona-Rochester, Minnesota)
Archbishop Paul Coakley (Oklahoma City)
Bishop Daniel Flores (Brownsville, Texas)
Archbishop Richard Henning (Boston)
Bishop David Malloy (Rockford, Illinois)
Archbishop Nelson Pérez (Philadelphia)
Bishop Kevin Rhoades (Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana)
Archbishop Alexander Sample (Portland in Oregon)
Archbishop Charles Thompson (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Archbishop Edward Weisenburger (Detroit)
The bishops will elect a president from this slate, followed by a vice president chosen from the remaining nine. Both positions’ terms last three years, beginning at the conclusion of the assembly. Current President Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio and Vice President Archbishop William E. Lori are concluding their terms.
If no candidate receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the bishops will proceed to a second round. If the second round does not yield a winner, its top two contenders will receive a third runoff vote.
In addition to the top leadership roles, the bishops will also elect new chairmen for six key USCCB committees. CatholicVote previously reported on the importance of these roles and the bishops under consideration. The committees include:
Canonical Affairs and Church Governance
Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Evangelization and Catechesis
International Justice and Peace
Protection of Children and Young People
Religious Liberty
Newly elected chairmen will serve a year as chairman-elect before beginning a full three-year term in 2026. If any committee nominee is elected to a higher office during this assembly, a replacement will be nominated by the bishops’ Committee on Priorities and Plans.
