U.S. bishops’ upcoming assembly in Baltimore expected to look at lay ministries, hold key committee elections

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The U.S. bishops will gather in Baltimore Nov. 11-14 for their 2024 fall plenary assembly, which takes place just weeks after the conclusion of the second session of the Catholic Church’s synod on synodality in Rome.

Only two days of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ meeting, Nov. 12-13, will be public and livestreamed on the conference’s website.

As in years past, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the USCCB, will both address the assembly.

Although the conference said its agenda for the November assembly is subject to change, the bishops plan to consider updates for a collaborative effort on “Dignitas Infinita,” a Vatican declaration concerning human dignity; an update on the interim implementation of Pope Francis’ decree “Antiquum Ministerium,” which concerns the new instituted lay ministry of catechist; the pastoral implementation of Pope Francis’ teaching in “Laudato Si’,” which concerns environmental stewardship; as well as the conference’s mission directive for the years 2025-2028.

Other items include the USCCB’s 2025 budget and “three action items pertaining to liturgical texts from the divine worship committee.”

The tentative agenda also included “an update on migration” as well as reports on the latest with the 2021-2024 Synod of Bishops on the development of a synodal church, the U.S. bishops’ Eucharistic revival initiative, and the National Eucharistic Congress.

The bishops also plan to have a consultation on the sainthood causes of Sister Annella Zervas, a professed religious of the Order of St. Benedict, and for the Servant of God Gertrude Agnes Barber.

During the assembly, the bishops will vote for the new conference treasurer, as well as chairmen-elect of five conference committees. The bishops elected as chairmen will serve one year as chairmen-elect before beginning a three-year term at the conclusion of the 2025 fall plenary assembly.

Nominees for treasurer-elect and chairman-elect for the budget committee are Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Bishop David J. Malloy of the Diocese of Rockford, Ill.

For the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, the nominees are Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn., and Bishop Ronald A. Hicks of the Diocese of Joliet, Ill.

For the Committee on Divine Worship, the nominees are Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., and Bishop Michael G. Woost of the Diocese of Cleveland.

Nominees for the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development are Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., and Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.; and for the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth are Bishop Edward J. Burns of the Diocese of Dallas and Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb..

Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, and Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, Wash., are the nominees for the migration committee.

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