By Emily Drooby
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’s general assembly, with Nov. 13 marking his last session as president.
Archbishop José Gomez, who is taking over the role, offered thanks to his predecessor.
“Thank you for leading us with knowledge and wisdom on behalf of all of us, let me say thank you and may God bless you for your excellent service to this body and to the Church,” Archbishop Gomez told Cardinal DiNardo.
There was also plenty on the agenda for day three of the national meetings. U.S. bishops heard about the status of a third-party reporting system that deals with allegations of abuse and misconduct by bishops, and discussed efforts to combat racism across the country using tools like roundtables and children’s books.
The committee against racism’s chairman, Bishop Shelton Fabre, delivered a powerful message, saying, “racism is opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church in the United States is committed to standing against it with all its strength.”
Several non-profits also presented to the bishops on Wednesday, including Catholic Relief Services(CRS).
“What’s wrong with the world? There’s plenty. What’s right with the world? Groups like CRS,” said Bishop Gregory Mansour.
U.S. Catholic Charities also outlined a new way to help the chronically homeless through outreach, and Anna Marie Gallagher, the leader of Catholic Legal Immigration Network discussed her experience at the southern border.
“I saw a world that is hard to understand and accept given our country’s resources and our values. I saw people crowded into shelters with inadequate food and services,” she explained.
It was a busy time for Cardinal Daniel DiNardo’s final day as president. Now, Archbishop José Gomez takes over.