WASHINGTON — An update to the Program on Priestly Formation, a
progress report on the establishment of a nationwide, third-party reporting
system for abuse or misconduct by bishops, and a vote on new leadership for the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are on the agenda for the bishops' fall
general assembly.
Gathering in Baltimore Nov. 11-13, the bishops also will review
and vote to approve a short letter and five short video scripts to supplement
"Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," the bishops' quadrennial
teaching document for the faithful on the political responsibility of
Catholics.
The changes in the sixth edition of the Program on Priestly
Formation have been in the works for more than a year. The document has
governed seminary formation in the United States since the bishops issued the
first edition for dioceses in 1971.
At their June assembly, the bishops overwhelmingly voted to
authorize the implementation of a third-party system that would allow people to
make confidential reports of abuse complaints against bishops through a
toll-free telephone number and online.
This new national reporting system would not replace systems
already in place in every diocese for the reporting of abuse by priests. It is
to be operated by an outside vendor contracted by the USCCB and should be in
place no later than May 31, 2020.
The "Faithful Citizenship" document traditionally has
been updated and released about a year before the presidential election every
four years. It was last updated in 2015. The new materials will "apply the
teaching of Pope Francis to our day," the bishops said in agreeing to
supplement the document in order to generate more interest in it.
The bishops also will elect a new president, a vice president, a
chairman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee for Religious
Liberty and chairman-elect for five USCCB committees: canonical affairs and
church governance; ecumenical and interreligious affairs; evangelization and
catechesis; international justice and peace; and the protection of children and
young people.
They also will elect the new board of directors of Catholic
Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' overseas relief and development agency.
The assembly will begin with an address by Archbishop Christophe
Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of
Galveston-Houston will give his final address as USCCB president; his
three-year term ends at the close of the assembly.
The U.S. bishops also will hear a report from the National
Advisory Council, a group made up of religious and laypeople that is a
consultative body for the USCCB Administrative Committee.
In other action items include:
— The USCCB members of Latin-rite dioceses will vote to approve
two translations by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy: a
translation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults as the base text for
a future edition of the rite in U.S. dioceses; and a translation of the Hymns
of the Liturgy of the Hours for use in the dioceses.
— The Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs of the Committee on
Cultural Diversity in the Church will request authorization from the full body
of bishops to lead the process of developing a new formal statement and
comprehensive vision for Hispanic/Latino ministry in response to the V Encuentro,
or National Fifth Encuentro. The statement and vision document would be
developed and approved by the bishops during the next USCCB strategic planning
cycle, which is 2021-2024.
— The bishops also will vote on the USCCB budget for 2020 and
give final approval to a new set of strategic priorities to guide the work of
the conference from 2021 through 2024: evangelization, life and dignity of the
human person; "protect and heal God's children" and vocations,
equipping "all Christ's disciples for mission."
Follow the meeting
Public sessions of general assembly discussions and votes
as well as portions of the day of spiritual discernment will be available via
livestream at usccb.org/live. News updates, vote totals, texts of
addresses and presentations and other materials for the bishops' November
assembly will be posted to this page: usccb.org/meetings as soon as
possible.
Those following the Nov. 11-13 assembly on social media
can use the hashtag #USCCB19 and follow on Twitter (@USCCB) as well as on
Facebook (facebook.com/usccb) and Instagram (instagram.com/usccb).