Welcome to Distinctly Catholic, a blog by Michael Sean Winters that examines politics, religion and the estuary where the two meet, all from a distinctively Catholic point of view. The blog is small "c" catholic as well as big "C" Catholic, examining a wide range of issues but always from the perspective of Catholic history and theology.
On the third ballot, at which time the bishops were only allowed to vote for the two previous highest vote getters, Archbishop Kurtz of Louisiana was elected Vice-President of the USCCB with 147 votes to Denver Archbishop Chaput's 91.
In an unprecedented move, the USCCB declined to promote its Vice-President, Bishop Gerald Kicanas to the presidency. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York won with 128 votes to Bishop Kicanas' 111.
Dolan now has 118, Kicanas now has 111. Neither has a majority. They now move to a final ballot.
Kicanas leads with 104, Archbishop Dolan follows with 80.
Good morning from Baltimore.
The bishops are testing the new electronic voting system. The test question: "Will you play golf between now and the end of the year? Vote 1. for Yes, and Vote 2. for No." (Only 25 voted yes to 207 No!)
Soon the fireworks will start. Some bishops reported receiving text messages urging them to vote against Bishop Kicanas, the current vice-president. He is opposed by a variety of right wing groups.
Stay tuned.
Last night, at the CCHD reception, Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas praised the work of CCHD and urged his brother bisops to participate fully in the national collection.
I make it a point not to respond to comments on the theory that my job is to say what I have to say and get the discussion rolling, and commentators can pick up the conversation and run with it.
The editors at The New York Times yesterday exposed the ways the anti-GOP rhetoric on immigration undercuts other GOP rhetoric on making government more efficient, less intrusive and less expensive.
Two American cardinals are absent from the USCCB meeting. cardinal Sean O'Malley is in Dublin, where he is beginning his apostolic visitation of that archdiocese. He celebrated Mass yesterday at St. Mary's pro-Cathedral in Dublin.
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio, addressed the assembly of bishops this morning. He said a nuncio arrives in a new country the way a new priest arrives at a parish.
Sign up to get NCR updates by email. Existing users: change your preferences here. Enter your email address in the box below and click “Go.”
Not all of our content is online. Subscribe to receive all the news and features you won't find anywhere else.
