New National Advisory Council members named

Published: 2007-01-11

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced the names of 10 new members of their National Advisory Council Jan. 8. All were elected to four-year terms in the USCCB regions they represent. The council is a group of about 50 Catholics from across the country, mostly laypeople but including two bishops and several priests and men and women religious, who meet to review matters that the bishops will be discussing or acting on and to advise the bishops on such matters or other issues facing the church. Diocesan priests joining the council are Msgr. Kurt H. Kemo of Steubenville, Ohio; Father Anthony Cincinnati of Wheeling, W.Va.; Father Robert J. Schrader of Rochester, N.Y.; and Father James P. Shea of Mandan, N.D. There are 15 regions, and those that held elections in 2006 announced the names of the new council members elected. New lay representatives from Region 9 are James R. Wharton of Sioux City, Iowa, and Karen L. Tibbs of Omaha, Neb. Coming from Region 12 are Robert J. McCann of Spokane, Wash., and Ernestine Fleece of Anchorage, Alaska, and from Region 13, Christopher R. Houk and Elvira Espinoza, both of Phoenix.

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