U.S. Bishops Elect Conference Secretary and Committee Chairmen at Fall Plenary Assembly
By: The Good Newsroom
Bishop Kevin Rhoades fills secretary vacancy, along with six new committee heads
BALTIMORE – At the plenary assembly in Baltimore on Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) elected Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend as Conference Secretary. They also elected chairmen of six standing Conference committees. Bishop Rhoades will assume the office of secretary immediately upon conclusion of the plenary today, as he is filling the vacancy that results from Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, who had been serving as USCCB secretary, having been elected as USCCB president earlier this week.
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend was elected as USCCB secretary and chairman of the Committee on Priorities and Plans in a 126-95 vote over Archbishop James F. Checchio, coadjutor of New Orleans. Bishop Rhoades fills the vacancy created by the election of Archbishop Coakley as Conference president. Bishop Rhoades assumed his new position at the conclusion of this year’s plenary assembly and will serve as secretary through November 2027, at which time he will be eligible for re-election.
Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, in a 113-108 vote over Bishop Edward M. Lohse of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
Bishop Peter L. Smith, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, was elected chairman-elect of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs in a 139-83 vote over Bishop Daniel J. Felton of the Diocese of Duluth.
Bishop William A. Wack, CSC, of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis in a 116-106 vote over Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of the Diocese of Columbus.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, as chairman-elect of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, in a 154-68 vote over Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Bishop Mark O’Connell, bishop-designate of the Diocese of Albany, was elected chairman-elect of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People in a 116-106 vote over Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix.
Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon and Bishop Michael J. Sis of the Diocese of San Angelo tied for a vote with 111-111 for chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty. Bishop Sis withdrew his name, and Archbishop Sample was named the chairman. Bishop Rhoades had been serving as chairman of the religious liberty committee, but was elected as Conference secretary, creating a vacancy in the committee chairmanship. Therefore, Archbishop Sample assumes the chairmanship on Thursday, and his term runs through November 2029.
John P. Cahill, chancellor of the Archdiocese of New York, achieved a lifelong dream by winning the Open 65-69 age group at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong, Australia. The Chancellor of the Archdiocese of New York completed the Olympic distance race in an impressive 2:24:52—a time that would make athletes half his age envious.
Cahill’s performance showcased remarkable consistency across all three disciplines. He completed the 0.9-mile swim in 23:42, averaging 1:32 per 100 yards. On the bike, he covered 25 miles in 1:08:21, maintaining an average speed of over 22 mph. He finished strong with a 6.2-mile run in 46:21, averaging 7:26 per mile.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. For Cahill, this victory represents the culmination of 40 years of dedication to the sport. “It proves that if you keep at something long enough, you’re gonna get actually good at it,” he said after his win. “It might take a while.”
When asked why he continues to compete, Cahill pointed to his faith. “I actually think it has a lot to do with my faith,” he explained. “God gives us these gifts—He gives us our spirituality, He gives us our intellect, He gives us our physical ability. And it’s kind of our responsibility to at least try every day to work to make them better so we can serve Him and we can serve people.”
Cahill’s recent success includes a fifth-place finish at the USA Triathlon National Championships in 2024, followed by a bronze medal at the same event this past summer. His coach noted that while they “butted heads a bit at the outset,” Cahill eventually “bought into my coaching and trusted the process.”
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who welcomed Cahill home with bagels and congratulations, summed it up perfectly: “Now the whole world knows what we know—you are a real champ.”