(ZENIT News / Baltimore, 11.16.2022).- Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) during the Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore. Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore was elected as USCCB vice president. They succeed Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, who are concluding their terms as Conference president and vice president, respectively.
Archbishop Broglio has served as the Conference secretary since 2019, a position that he will vacate upon assuming the presidency. Therefore, the bishops will vote in their session on Wednesday for a Conference secretary to fill the vacancy that results as Archbishop Broglio assumes his new office.
Archbishop Broglio was elected president with 138-99 votes over Archbishop Lori in a runoff on the third ballot. Archbishop Lori was elected vice president on the third ballot by 143-96 votes in a runoff vote against Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The president and vice president are elected by a simple majority from the same 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. Both bishops will assume their new offices for a three-year term after the adjournment of this year’s USCCB Plenary Assembly.
Archbishop Lori currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, a position that he will vacate upon assuming the vice presidency. Therefore, the bishops will vote during their session tomorrow for a chairman to fill the vacancy left as Archbishop Lori assumes the vice presidency. The new Conference secretary will assume office following the adjournment of this plenary assembly and serve out the remainder of Archbishop Broglio’s term through November 2024. Additionally, the new chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities will also assume the chairmanship of the committee following the adjournment of this plenary assembly, and will serve out the remainder of Archbishop Lori’s elected term thru November 2024.
