WASHINGTON— Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Monsignor Francis Malone as Bishop-elect of Shreveport.

Monsignor Malone is a priest of the Diocese of Little Rock and currently serves as Chancellor for Ecclesial Affairs and Pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock. The appointment was publicized today in Washington, D.C, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop-elect Malone was born September 1, 1950 in Philadelphia, PA. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Little Rock on May 21, 1977. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History (1973), and Masters in Divinity (1977), and Education (1977) from University of Dallas, TX, and a Licentiate of Canon Law (J.C.L.) from The Catholic University of America (1989).

Assignments after ordination include: Associate Pastor, St. Michael Church, West Memphis & Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Crawfordville (1977-1980); Associate Pastor, Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Little Rock & Pastor, Holy Cross Church, Sheridan (1980-1981).

Bishop-elect Malone has also served as Associate Pastor St. Patrick Church, North Little Rock (1981-1983); Associate Pastor, St. Vincent de Paul Church, Rogers & Priest in Charge, St. John Church, Huntsville (1983-1984); Associate Pastor, Immaculate Conception Church, North Little Rock (1984-1985). He also served as Pastor, St. Mary of the Mount Church, Horseshoe Bend & St. Michael Church, Cherokee Village (1985-1987); Rector, Cathedral of St. Andrew, Little Rock (1989-1996); Pastor, Immaculate Conception Church, North Little Rock & St. Anne Church, North Little Rock (1996-2001); and Pastor, Christ the King Church, Little Rock (2001-Present).
 
Other appointments include: Faculty, Mount St. Mary Academy, Little Rock (1980-1983), Clergy Personnel Board (1983), Chaplain, Rogers Memorial Hospital, Rogers (1983), Moderator of Cursillo (1989), Chancellor & Vice Officialis (1990-2002), Presbyteral Council (1991-Present), College of Consultors (1992-Present), Clergy Personnel Board (1993-Present), Clergy Welfare Board (1994-Present), Managing Editor of Arkansas Catholic Newspaper & Director of Communications (1995), Theological Consultant to Arkansas Catholic Newspaper (1997), Judge, Court of Second Instance, Province of Oklahoma City (2002), Vicar General (2002-2006), and Chancellor of Ecclesial Affairs (2008-Present).

Bishop-elect Malone has received the following ecclesial honors: Prelate of Honor with title of Monsignor (1998), Knight Holy Sepulchre (2002) and Protonotary Apostolic (2010).
 
The Diocese of Shreveport is in the state of Louisiana and has a total population of 812,200, of which 41,335 are Catholic.

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Keywords: Bishops appointment, Pope Francis, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Diocese of Little Rock, Bishop-elect Francis Malone, Diocese of Shreveport.

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Media Contact:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
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"I've just returned from the New York State bishops "ad limina" visit to Rome, and thought I'd offer a few highlights of a very busy but wonderful week.

Sister Mary Ellen Keady, OSF, who taught at St. John's School in Olean, died Nov. 16, 2019, at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, in Allegany.

The date Nov. 21 holds great significance for the Felician Sisters.

God wills the salvation of all persons, Pope Francis said in his general audience Oct. 16, reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles.

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend John Bura as Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia. Bishop Bura has reached the retirement age for bishops of 75.

The resignation was publicized in Washington on November 15, 2019, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

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Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Pope Francis, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio, Bishop John Bura, auxiliary bishop, Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

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Media Contact:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
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WASHINGTON - Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Military Services, USA and Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for International Justice and Peace and Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus sent a letter of solidarity yesterday to the people of Lebanon and Iraq, addressing the recent unrest and protests in these countries.

“Today, in Lebanon and Iraq, we are witnessing critical moments as protests grow against corruption and foreign interference,” they said in the letter addressed to the patriarchs of the two countries. “We pray that the effect of these protests will be a more just society for all the citizens of these two countries.”

Read the full letter here.

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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, International Justice and Peace, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archdiocese for the Military Services, Knights of Columbus, Iraq, Lebanon.

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Media Contacts:
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The following press release has been amended to include the correct names of the CRS Board. The error in the initial release was an oversight of the public affairs team.

BALTIMORE— The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) meeting this week for their Fall General Assembly in Baltimore have voted on nine action items.

The bishops voted to approve the 6th edition of the Program of Priestly Formation for use in the dioceses of the United States with 226 votes in favor, 4 against, and 3 abstentions. The vote required affirmation by two-thirds of the Conference membership and is subject to recognitio by the Vatican Congregation for Clergy.

The Latin Church members of the USCCB voted to approve two translations by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). The first vote on a translation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults as the base text for a future edition of this rite in the dioceses of the United States was approved with 217 votes in favor, 3 against, and 3 abstentions. The vote required affirmation by two-thirds of the Latin Church members and is subject to confirmatio and recognitio by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The second vote on a translation of the Hymns of the Liturgy of the Hours for use in the dioceses of the United States was approved with 205 votes in favor, 5 against, and 2 abstentions. The vote required affirmation by two-thirds of the Latin Church members and is subject to confirmatio by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

In other items the bishops approved:

• A short letter and five short video scripts to supplement Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the bishops’ teaching document for the faithful on the political responsibility of Catholics. The short letter was approved 207-24 with 5 abstentions; the vote on the video scripts was 227-5 in favor with 4 abstentions.
• In a vote of 220 to 7 with 2 abstentions, the body of bishops voted to approve the Conference’s Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs to lead the process of developing a new comprehensive vision for Hispanic/Latino ministry in response to the V Encuentro process.
• The bishops voted with 211 in favor, 11 against and 1 abstention of approval of the 2020 proposed budget, presented by the Committee on Budget and Finance.
• The results of the vote by diocesan and eparchial bishops for a three percent increase in the diocesan assessment for 2021, was 111 to 55, which fell short of the necessary majority. Ballots will be mailed to bishops not present in order to have a conclusive vote.
• The full body of bishops also approved the Revised Strategic Priorities for the 2021-24 USCCB Strategic Plan by a vote of 214 to 4 with 2 abstentions.
• By a voice vote of the majority of members present and voting, the bishops also approved to support the request of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon asking the Holy Father to name Saint Irenaeus a Doctor of the Church.
• The bishops also elected the following members to the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Board of Directors: Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock.

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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Fall General Assembly, November meeting, Baltimore, Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, CCLV, Program of Priestly Formation, Divine Workshop, ICEL Gray Book, #USCCB19, Catholic Relief Services, Strategic Plan, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Saint Irenaeus.

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Media Contact:
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BALTIMORE—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have elected a new secretary for the Conference, as well as a chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty, and chairman-elect of five additional standing committees at their Fall General Assembly in Baltimore.

During their morning session, the bishops elected Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles as president of the conference and Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit as vice president. Both the new president and vice president begin their terms at the conclusion of this year’s General Assembly. Archbishop Vigneron has served as the Conference secretary since 2018 and will vacate that office upon assuming the vice presidency. In order to accommodate this leadership change, the bishops voted for a new Conference secretary in the afternoon session. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Military Services, USA was elected secretary of Conference in a 112-87 vote over Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo.

Bishop George V. Murry, SJ of Youngstown was elected as chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty in a 121-121 vote over Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami and fills the vacancy created earlier this year after the committee chairman stepped down due to health reasons. The tie vote resulted in deference to Bishop Murray by nature of age seniority; he assumes his post at the end of this year’s Fall General Assembly and will serve through November 2021 at which time he will be eligible for re-election.

The remaining five will serve for one year as chairmen-elect before beginning a three-year term at the conclusion of the bishops’ 2020 Fall General Assembly. The bishops elected as chairmen-elect are:

Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki of Milwaukee, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance in a 144 to 97 vote over Bishop Mark L. Bartchak of Altoona-Johnstown.

Bishop David P. Talley of Memphis, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs in a 123 to 114 vote over Bishop Steven J. Lopes of The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.

Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens, auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis in a 151 to 88 vote over Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane.

Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, as chairman-elect of the Committee on International Justice and Peace in a 140 to 101 vote over Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento.

Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Protection of Children and Young People in a 167-77 vote over Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City.

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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Fall General Assembly, November meeting, Baltimore, elections, president, vice president, ballot, vote, majority vote, committee, CRS, Catholic Relief Services, #USCCB19.

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Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
202-541-3200

 

BALTIMORE—Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) during the Fall General Assembly in Baltimore. Archbishop Gomez has served as vice president of the Conference since 2016. Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit was elected as USCCB vice president. Both the new president and vice president terms begin at the conclusion of this year’s General Assembly.

Archbishop Gomez was elected president on the first ballot with 176 votes. Archbishop Vigneron was elected vice president on the third ballot by 151 to 90 in a runoff vote against Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Military Services, USA. The president and vice president are elected by a simple majority from a slate of 10 nominees. If no president or vice president is chosen after the second round of voting, a third ballot is a run-off between the two bishops who received the most votes on the second ballot. Archbishop Vigneron has served as the Conference secretary since 2018, a position that he will vacate upon assuming the vice presidency. Therefore, the bishops will vote in their afternoon session for a Conference secretary to fill the vacancy left as Archbishop Vigneron assumes the vice presidency.

Read President-elect Archbishop Gomez’s biography.
Read Vice President-elect Archbishop Vigneron’s biography.

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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Fall General Assembly, November meeting, Baltimore, elections, president, vice president, ballot, vote, majority vote, committee, Archbishop Gomez, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Archbishop Vignernon, Archdiocese of Detroit, #USCCB19.

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Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
202-541-3200