Two cardinals in the running to head bishops' conference

Published: 2004-10-22

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- For the first time in 12 years, the list of 10 nominees for the next president and vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops includes cardinals. The bishops will elect their two top national officers at their general meeting in Washington Nov. 15-18, when the current president, Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill., and vice president, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., end their terms. The bishops will also elect a treasurer-elect, chairmen-elect for 14 USCCB committees, and USCCB delegates and alternates to next year's world Synod of Bishops in Rome. The treasurer-elect and chairmen-elect will take up their posts in November 2005. The two top-ranking prelates on this year's list of nominees for president and vice president are Cardinals Francis E. George, archbishop of Chicago, and Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia. The list includes four other archbishops and four bishops. They are Archbishops Daniel M. Buechlein of Indianapolis; Charles J. Chaput of Denver; Timothy M. Dolan of Milwaukee; and William J. Levada of San Francisco; and Bishops Skylstad; Blase J. Cupich of Rapid City, S.D.; Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz.; and Donald W. Wuerl of Pittsburgh.

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