The Bishops Who Would be President

One item bound to draw some attention at this year's Fall General Assembly of the U.S. bishops will be the election of the new president and vice president of the USCCB.

Held every three years, the new president and vice president take office at the conclusion of the meeting. They are chosen from a slate of 10 candidates compiled from nominations by bishops nationwide. The bishops first cast ballots to elect the Conference president. Once he has been selected, the remaining nine names become the slate for vice president.

Here are the names, as well as some statistics and a brief rundown of the current USCCB involvement of the bishops who make up this year's presidential slate.

Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond

New Orleans

Age 61
Ordained May 10, 1975
Bishop since 1996
Formerly bishop of Austin, Texas, 2001-2009

Incoming chairman of USCCB Committee on Divine Worship
Member of the USCCB Committees on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations and Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth

Bishop Stephen E. Blaire

Stockton, California

Age 68
Ordained April 29, 1967
Bishop since 1990
Formerly auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, 1990-1999

Incoming chairman of USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development
Member of the USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs


Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM, Cap.

Denver

Age 66
Ordained August 29, 1970
Bishop since 1988
Formerly bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota, 1988-1997

Chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American Catholics
Member of USCCB Committees on Cultural Diversity in the Church, Divine Worship, Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Migration, Subcommittee on Marriage and Family Life, Task Forces on Strengthening Marriage and Health Care
Consultant to the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities


Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan

New York

Age 60
Ordained June 19, 1976
Bishop since 2001
Formerly Archbishop of Milwaukee, 2002-2009

Chairman of the Catholic Relief Services board
USCCB Moderator of Jewish Affairs
Member of the USCCB Committee on Budget and Finance and Subcommittee on the Church in Africa
Consultant to the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace


Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas

Tucson, Arizona

Age 69
Ordained April 27, 1967
Bishop since 1995
Formerly auxiliary bishop of Chicago, 1995-2001

Outgoing vice president of the USCCB
Member of the USCCB Communications Committee, Subcommittee on the Catholic Communication Campaign, and the Board of Trustees of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc.
Consultant to the USCCB Committee on Migration


Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz

Louisville, Kentucky

Age 64
Ordained March 18, 1972
Bishop since 1999
Formerly bishop of Knoxville, 1999-2007

USCCB Treasurer
Chairman of USCCB Committee on Budget and Finance and Subcommittee on Marriage and Family Life
Vice Chairman of USCCB Priories and Plans Committee
Member of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, the Task Force on Strengthening Marriage, the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services and the Board of Trustees for the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc.
Consultant to the Committee on Pro-Life Activities



Bishop George V. Murry, SJ

Youngstown, Ohio

Age 61
Ordained June 9, 1979
Bishop since 1995
Formerly bishop of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1999-2007

Current secretary of USCCB
Chairman of USCCB Committee on Priority and Plans
Member of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, the Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions and the Board of Trustees of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc.

Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien

Baltimore

Age 71
Ordained May 29, 1965
Bishop since 1996
Formerly Archbishop for Military Services, 1997-2007


Member of USCCB Committees on and International Justice and Peace
Consultant to the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron

Detroit

Age 62
Ordained July 26, 1975
Bishop since 1996
Formerly bishop of Oakland, California, 2003-2009

Member of USCCB Committee on Doctrine, the Subcommittee on the Catechism and the Task Force for Strengthening Marriage

Bishop John C. Wester

Salt Lake City

Age 60
Ordained May 15, 1976
Bishop since 1998

Formerly auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, 1998-2007

Outgoing chairman of USCCB Committee on Migration

Member of the USCCB Committee on Catholic Education and the Subcommittee on the Church in Africa

Consultant to the USCCB Comittees on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and International Justice and Peace

Member of the board of directors for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. and Catholic Relief Services