Elections for president and vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) were held on November 15, the first public business day of the conference’s 2022 fall general assembly.
The USCCB presidential election is typically lacking in suspense, as the customary presumption is that the current vice president will be elected to the position of president. However, at age 74, outgoing Vice President Allen Vigneron is too old to serve the three-year term as president.
As a result, the bishops’ conference on Tuesday saw its first open election in years.
President
Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Services won the election on the third ballot, after two rounds of voting were unsuccessful in producing a winner, resulting in a run-off vote between Broglio and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore.
Broglio won the run-off election 138-99.
Vice president
Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was then elected as the conference’s vice president. This election also took three rounds of voting, concluding with a run-off between Lori and Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
Lori won the run-off election 143-96.
Secretary, Chairman of Committee on Priorities and Plans
The Secretary of the conference also holds the position of Chairman of the Committee on Priorities and Plans. This dual role was vacated by Archbishop Broglio, who was elected president. Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City was elected as the new Secretary and Chair of the Committee on Priorities and Plans, beating Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark by a vote of 130-104.
Committee Chairs
Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington was elected Chairman of the Committee on Pro-life Activities, topping Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City in a 174-63 vote. Burbidge replaces Archbishop William Lori, who was elected vice president of the conference.
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, was elected Chairman-elect of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, beating Bishop Alfred Schlert of Allentown in a 147-91 vote.
Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton was chosen as Chairman-elect of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, beating Auxiliary Bishop Peter Smith of Portland, Oregon, by a vote of 128-111.
Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis was elected as Chairman-elect of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis. He was selected over Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, in a 149-90 vote.
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles was chosen as Chairman-elect of the Committee on International Justice and Peace. He was picked over Archbishop Nelson Perez of Philadelphia by a vote of 148-95.
Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond was selected as Chairman-elect of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People. He was chosen over Auxiliary Bishop Elias Lorenzo of Newark in a 127-114 vote.
Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend was elected Chairman-elect of the Committee for Religious Liberty, beating Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco by a vote of 165-77.
