Cardinal DiNardo, USCCB president, 'resting comfortably' after suffering mild stroke

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was taken to the hospital late March 15 after experiencing symptoms of what tests March 16 confirmed was a mild stroke, according to an archdiocesan statement.

"The cardinal was resting comfortably and conversing with associates, doctors and nurses," the statement said. "It is expected that Cardinal DiNardo will remain hospitalized for a few more days of testing and observation, followed by a transfer to another facility for rehabilitation."

DiNardo, 69, "is grateful to the doctors and nurses for their wonderful care and for continued prayers during his recovery," it said.

The statement quoted the cardinal as saying, "With so much to do I am looking forward to getting back to work as soon as possible."

The U.S. bishops' conference, in a news release, said it joined with the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese "in praying for the cardinal's quick recovery."

During his recovery, DiNardo has assigned his bishops' conference duties to Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, vice president of the conference, as provided for by the the conference bylaws.

DiNardo and Gomez were elected U.S. bishops' conference president and vice president, respectively, during the bishops' annual fall general assembly in Baltimore in November 2016. They began their three-year terms at the close of the meeting.

DiNardo, who served as the conference vice president for three years before being elected president, has headed the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 2006, when as coadjutor archbishop, he immediately succeeded Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza when he retired. Then-Archbishop DiNardo was named a cardinal in 2007, making him the first cardinal from Texas.