Bishops hear recommendations to streamline meetings

Published: 2004-11-19

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- At their fall general meeting, the U.S. bishops heard a series of recommendations to streamline future gatherings where the bishops meet as a body. The recommendations aim to improve the content and flow of the general meetings so that the business of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops can be conducted more efficiently, said Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, chairman of the task force which drafted the recommendations. Bishop Skylstad, elected the new president of the bishops' conference Nov. 15, presented the recommendations Nov. 17. They include: limiting the number of documents and statements presented to the bishops; having statements presented for consideration professionally edited beforehand to eliminate technical amendments so that floor debate is devoted to pro and con speakers; having general meetings provide for closed door executive sessions, open sessions with the media present and reflective sessions open to the media in which bishops discuss issues of interest that do not constitute USCCB business; and limiting priorities to three or four items.

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