Today, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, today issued a statement in the name of the bishops regarding relations with the incoming administration of President-elect Barak Obama, focusing in particular on the bishops' concern with abortion.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
Though the U.S. bishops took a tough line this afternoon on the abortion policies of the incoming Obama administration, two of the bishops most associated with public challenges to Obama during the campaign were defeated in races for committee chairmanships.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
?No retreat, no surrender? is perhaps the best way to sum up the spirit of the U.S. bishops? discussion of abortion and politics this afternoon, though the bishops stopped short of adopting any new policy on the denial of communion to pro-choice Catholic politicians.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
On behalf of the full body of U.S. bishops, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the conference, this morning released the following message on the current economic crisis.
Solidarity at a Time of Economic Crisis
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
In a gesture with clear implications for debates over abortion, the U.S. bishops this morning voted on a new ?Order for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb,? in both English and Spanish.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
In the day?s first important vote, the U.S. bishops this morning elected Bishop George Murry of Youngstown, Ohio, as the secretary of the conference. He is the first African-American bishop to hold a senior leadership post since Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, then the bishop of Belleville, Illinois, served as president from 2001 to 2004.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
From the outside, much of the drama of a bishops? meeting pivots on what the conference will or won?t say about a given issue ? what sort of texts it adopts, statements it issues, and so on. For those with eyes to see, however, sometimes how the bishops vote with their feet is just as telling as anything they may eventually put on paper.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Baltimore
Ahead of a discussion by the U.S. bishops of now-severed links between their top domestic anti-poverty program and the controversial ACORN network, the pope?s top lieutenant on charitable activities has warned that Catholic relief agencies must not lose their religious identity.