Archbishop Kurtz elected president of US bishops’ conference

Last updated on: November 12, 2013 at 2:25 pm by CNA Daily News

Archbishop Kurtz elected president of US bishops’ conference 2013-11-12T14:25:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Baltimore, Md., Nov 12, 2013 / 07:25 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has elected Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville as its next president, giving national prominence to a prelate with significant experience in Catholic social services.

Archbishop Kurtz, 67, has served as the conference vice president since 2010. He was elected conference president at the conference’s fall assembly in Baltimore the morning of Nov. 12. He will serve a three-year term.

The bishops’ conference president plays a significant role in coordinating and leading charitable and social work and education, while providing a public face for the Catholic Church in the U.S.

Archbishop Kurtz served as Bishop of Knoxville from 1999-2007. He was a priest of the Diocese of Allentown, Pa. for 27 years, with a special focus in social services, diocesan administration, and parish ministry. He served as the director of the diocese’s Catholic Charities affiliate from 1988 to 1998 and was an executive director of the diocese’s Catholic Social Agency and Family Life Bureau.

He is the vice chancellor of the board of the Catholic Extension Society and an adviser to the Catholic Social Workers National Association, the Archdiocese of Louisville website says. He is on the board of directors of the National Catholic Bioethics Center and on the advisory board to the cause for the canonization of Servant of God Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

The archbishop has previously served as chair of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage and Family Life.

He recently co-authored a booklet on the vocation of Christian parenthood and Christian parents’ relationship with their parish. The booklet focuses on a prayer called “The Blessing of the Child in the Womb,” which was drafted by the U.S. bishops’ conference.

Archbishop Kurtz was born in Mahanoy City, Pa. in 1946. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in divinity from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. He holds a master’s degree in social work from the Marywood School of Social Work in Scranton, Pa.

The election of Archbishop Kurtz marks a return to the customary practice of electing the conference vice president to the presidency. In 2010, the U.S. bishops broke with this tradition by choosing then-Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York as their conference head instead of the conference’s vice president at the time, Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz.

The bishops’ conference elected Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston as its vice president.

Previous Post

November 12, 2013

French movement to protect marriage is welcoming of all

Next Post

November 12, 2013 Costa Rica ambassador praises 'paternal' heart of Pope Francis

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who helped Jesus carry His cross?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Simon of Cyrene Judas Peter John