Top U.S. church officials meet pope, discuss planned visit

Published: 2007-10-18

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Top officials of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met privately with Pope Benedict XVI Oct. 18 for a wide-ranging discussion about the church in the United States, including the pope's planned visit to the U.S. in the spring. Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., conference president, said the discussion about the trip was "just in general." Beyond the announced papal stop in New York, Bishop Skylstad said he could not provide specifics about the trip because "the details have not been nailed down yet." He did say, however, that he expected the trip to be brief, in keeping with Pope Benedict's practice. Bishop Skylstad told Catholic News Service he was joined at the meeting by Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George, conference vice president, and Msgr. David J. Malloy, general secretary of the conference. The conference officers usually meet twice a year with the heads of Vatican offices to discuss issues of common concern, and they meet the pope during their October trip.

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