Nancy E. Wisdo Appointed USCCB Associate General Secretary
WASHINGTON (December 16, 2005) — Nancy E. Wisdo, Director of the Office of Domestic Social Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has been appointed Associate General Secretary of the USCCB. Msgr. David J. Malloy, USCCB General Secretary-elect, announced the appointment today.
Ms. Wisdo, a native of Pennsylvania, has a long and distinguished career in the service of the Church. She held several positions for the Diocese of Harrisburg prior to joining the staff of the Bishops' Conference in 1985 as Outreach Coordinator in the Department of Social Development and World Peace. She has directed the Office of Domestic Social Development since 1991.
"Nancy Wisdo is widely recognized for her knowledge and commitment to many dimensions of the Church's ministry, and is known as an extremely capable administrator," Msgr. Malloy said. "I am pleased and grateful that her outstanding ability will serve the needs of the Conference in her new assignment."
Nancy Wisdo holds a B.A. in Sociology from Bloomsburg State University in Pennsylvania, from which she graduated cum laude. She pursued graduate studies in Community Psychology at Pennsylvania State University, and is currently a candidate for a Licentiate in Canon Law at the Catholic University of America.
She began as a caseworker at Catholic Charities in Harrisburg, was Program Developer in the Family Life Office, and then Family Life/Respect Life diocesan director. She was an Assistant Director of Catholic Charities before moving to the Bishops' Conference in 1985.
Ms. Wisdo has served as a member of the Department of Justice and Rights, Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development National Advisory Committee, and the Board of Directors, Human Needs Coalition, Washington, D.C.
As Outreach Coordinator in the Department of Social Development beginning in 1985, Ms. Wisdo's duties included coordinating the annual meeting of diocesan social action directors and the summer institute on Catholic social teaching.
Promoted to Director of the Office of Domestic Social Development in 1991, she has represented the Department and the Conference to the Congress and the Administration, and at conferences and meetings throughout the country.
Ms. Wisdo was a member of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace from 1996 to 2001.
The appointment is effective February 3, 2006. In her new post Ms. Wisdo succeeds Sister Lourdes Sheehan, RSM, who has been an Associate General Secretary since 2001. Sister Lourdes has agreed to the request of Msgr. Malloy that she continue to assist the Conference in its on-going work through the next meeting of the Administrative Committee, which will conclude on March 15, 2006.
Ms. Wisdo will serve with two other Associate General Secretaries, Mr. Bruce Egnew, currently serving, and newly appointed Associate General Secretary Msgr. Ronny Jenkins.