U.S. Bishops to Vote for Chairmen-elect of Six Standing Committees at Plenary Assembly in November

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will be voting for chairmen-elect for six standing committees during the 2025 Plenary Assembly in November.

Each bishop elected will serve for one year as the chairman-elect of the respective committee before beginning a three-year term at the conclusion of the bishops’ 2026 Plenary Assembly. 

The following bishops were nominated (listed under committee in alphabetical order):

COMMITTEE ON CANONICAL AFFAIRS AND CHURCH GOVERNANCE

• Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob, Archdiocese of Milwaukee
• Bishop Edward M. Lohse, Diocese of Kalamazoo

COMMITTEE ON ECUMENICAL AND INTERRELIGIOUS AFFAIRS

• Bishop Daniel J. Felton, Diocese of Duluth
• Bishop Peter L. Smith, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

COMMITTEE ON EVANGELIZATION AND CATECHESIS

• Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, Diocese of Columbus
• Bishop William A. Wack, CSC, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE AND PEACE

• Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia
• Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, Archdiocese of Detroit

COMMITTEE ON PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

• Bishop John P. Dolan, Diocese of Phoenix
• Bishop Mark O’Connell, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Boston

COMMITTEE FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

• Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
• Bishop Michael J. Sis, Diocese of San Angelo

Elections for USCCB president and vice president are also taking place at this meeting; should any of the candidates for committee chairmanship be elected to fill to a higher office, the bishops’ Committee on Priorities and Plans will convene to nominate a new candidate for that committee.

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