US bishops to elect new committee leaders, conference secretary at November assembly

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will elect a conference secretary and leaders for six standing committees during its Fall Plenary Assembly Nov. 16–19 in Baltimore, according to an Oct. 7 announcement from the bishops.

The annual fall gathering brings bishops from across the United States together to conduct conference business and address issues facing the Church.

The elections will help determine the leadership of several committees responsible for guiding the conference’s work on matters ranging from Catholic education and Church doctrine to communications and the protection of unborn life.

In its announcement, the USCCB identified two nominees for each of the seven positions, including Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, who is seeking election to a full term as conference secretary.

Bishop Rhoades assumed the position following the bishops’ November 2025 election of Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City as USCCB president. Bishop Coakley had previously served as conference secretary, leaving the position vacant when he assumed his new role.

Bishop Rhoades will face Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, for the secretary-elect position, which also includes leadership of the Committee on Priorities and Plans.

The bishops will also choose between Bishop Donald Hying of Madison, Wisconsin, and Bishop John Folda of Fargo, North Dakota, to lead the Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

The committee plays a central role in coordinating the bishops’ efforts to defend human life, including their advocacy on abortion, assisted suicide, and other issues involving the dignity of the human person.

For the Committee on Doctrine, the nominees are Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa, and Bishop Steven Lopes of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, which serves Catholics in the United States and Canada who entered into full communion with the Catholic Church from the Anglican tradition.

Nominees for the Committee on Catholic Education are Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Auxiliary Bishop Edmund Whalen of the Archdiocese of New York.

The bishops will also elect leaders for three additional committees:

• Communications: Bishop Daniel Felton of Duluth, Minnesota, and Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois.
• Cultural Diversity in the Church: Bishop Steven Maekawa of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Bishop Michael Pham of San Diego, California.
• National Collections: Bishop Mark Eckman of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Bishop Gerald Vincke of Salina, Kansas.

According to the USCCB, the bishops elected in November will serve one year as chairmen-elect before beginning three-year terms after the 2027 Fall Plenary Assembly.