Politics, religion, music among issues bishops are facing in November

Published: 2007-10-23

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When the U.S. bishops meet in November, they will debate and vote on how Catholics should participate in the political process, what Catholic high school students should learn in religion classes and how to best ensure that liturgical music is both doctrinally sound and pleasing to the ear. They also will begin a new era in the history of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops by electing a new president and vice president, voting on revised bylaws and filling several committee posts created by the USCCB restructuring process. Other items on the agenda for the Nov. 12-15 fall general assembly in Baltimore are a document on education for chaste living and a revised norm defining "acts of extraordinary administration" that require a bishop to obtain the consent of his diocesan advisers. Two liturgical documents -- on revised readings during Lent and weekday celebrations of the Liturgy of the Word -- also will come before the bishops, who will also vote on a Spanish-language version of the latter document. The USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities will ask the bishops for permission to draft a pastoral document on reproductive technologies to respond to the "great confusion among lay Catholics regarding the church's teaching" on the subject.

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