U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), unified body of Catholic bishops, representing both Roman Catholic and Eastern rite churches, who serve the dioceses of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was formed in 2001 with the consolidation of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Catholic Conference, two organizations that developed after a decree issued by Pope Paul VI in 1965 to form national and regional episcopal conferences. To that end, the USCCB holds a general assembly twice a year to discuss civil and canonical matters. Members include all active and retired bishops, both ordinary (diocesan) and auxiliary (assistant).

Early U.S. bishops’ councils

The first assemblies of U.S. Catholic bishops were small, loosely organized meetings in the late 18th century. Eventually, these gave way to more-structured provincial or plenary councils, although they met irregularly. In 1917, at the behest of Paulist priest John Burke, the National Catholic War Council was founded to coordinate Catholic support of the Allied cause during World War I (1914–18). After the war ended, this council was succeeded in 1919 by the establishment of the National Catholic Welfare Council, which instituted annual meetings and a permanent administrative committee of seven members (later expanded to 10). This council was headquartered in Washington, D.C., at the Catholic University of America and was led by a general secretary.

In 1922 the National Catholic Welfare Council changed its name to the National Catholic Welfare Conference to better convey its function as a consultative body rather than a legislative one. In keeping with its original mission of promoting peace and social justice, its focus encompassed the issues of education, immigration, labor rights, religious liberty and persecution, racial segregation, and morality (or “decency”) in films. During World War II (1939–45) the National Catholic Welfare Conference’s organized war relief efforts led to the founding in 1943 of Catholic Relief Services, which grew into one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid agencies.

The Second Vatican Council and Christus Dominus

In the 1960s episcopal councils in the United States and worldwide changed in response to the Second Vatican Council (commonly called Vatican II; 1962–65), a profoundly important ecumenical council that was convened to foster spiritual renewal for the Roman Catholic Church and promote unity among Christians. Among the documents produced by Vatican II was the Decree Concerning the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, or Christus Dominus (Latin: “Christ the Lord”), issued on October 28, 1965. Its primary concern is the relationship of bishops to the universal church, between each other, and between other members of the church—such as the pope, clergy, and laypeople. The decree also addresses the role and functions of bishops within the church.

Essentially, Christus Dominus calls for collegiality between bishops and establishes opportunities for bishops to discuss church governance at both the global and the local level. Whereas the global body would continue to take the form of a synod that is convened by the pope and meets in Rome, local bodies of bishops, known as conferences, would meet in national or regional assemblies. In the United States the National Conference of Catholic Bishops was created from this recommendation in 1966; its membership and committees were composed of bishops and their secretaries. That same year the National Catholic Welfare Conference became the United States Catholic Conference, which included as its members clergy, religious sisters and brothers, and laypeople. These two groups worked alongside one another until their consolidation in 2001 to form the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Structure and governance

The USCCB is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and is led by an elected president, who also serves as its chief executive officer and as chair of the administrative committee. The president is supported by several other elected officers and by a general secretary. In addition, there are nearly 20 committees dedicated to programs on such issues as canonical affairs and church governance, Catholic education, vocations, peace and justice, cultural diversity, evangelization, marriage and family life, the protection of children and young people, and pro-life causes.

The USCCB comprises nearly 200 archdioceses and dioceses, including an archdiocese representing the U.S. armed forces and a personal ordinary of the Chair of Saint Peter, which serves former Anglican groups and clergy in the United States that sought to become Catholic while retaining certain traditions of the Anglican faith. Membership of the USCCB is divided into 14 geographically based regions, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, with an additional region representing the Eastern rite churches. Despite being located in U.S. territories, the dioceses of Puerto Rico and Guam do not hold membership in the USCCB; those of Puerto Rico belong to the Conferencia Episcopal Puertorriqueña (Episcopal Conference of Puerto Rico), and Guam’s diocese is included in the Conferentia Episcopalis Pacifici (Episcopal Conference of the Pacific).

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During the semiannual general assemblies, typically held in June and November, the bishops discuss and vote on issues of interest to the Catholic Church. As part of its pastoral functions, the USCCB offers a website that features a liturgical calendar, daily scripture readings, prayers, information about the sacraments and mass, film reviews, and the full catechism of the Catholic Church in English.