By Jessica Easthope
The votes are in and Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan is chairman elect of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on cultural diversity in the church.
Bishop Brennan won his election by 10 votes.
Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop James Massa was voted in as chairman elect of the usccb’s committee on doctrine. Bishop Massa won his election by seven votes.
The first day of meetings was a chance for the public to get insight into how the country’s bishops make decisions and discuss national church issues – But international peace was front of mind for USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio and General Secretary Father Michael Fuller.
“We recognize and defend the right of Israel to exist and defend the right to exist and to enjoy a place among the nations,” Archbishop Broglio said. “At the same time we know the Palestinians, who represent the majority of Christians in the Holy Land, while still being a minority themselves, have a right to a land that is their own.”
The USCCB welcomed the pope’s representative to the U.S. Cardinal Cristophe Pierre. He addressed the bishops for the first time since receiving his red hat from Pope Francis ahead of the first global synod meeting at the Vatican. Cardinal Pierre’s address spoke about how the Synod on Synodality and the Eucharistic Revival are intertwined.
“The Eucharist is an encounter, helping us to give new life,” Cardinal Pierre said. “It makes us the living presence of Jesus and others, so my brothers, Eucharistic revival and Synodality go together.”
Over the next year, the bishops will engage in prayer and dialogue reflecting on the synod synthesis report. As for bishops Brennan and Massa they will each serve for one year as chairman elect before beginning a three year term as chairman at the conclusion of next year’s fall assembly.