October 29, 2025

Archbishop Thompson, Bishop Rhoades among the candidates for USCCB’s next president, vice president

WASHINGTON (OSV News)—When the U.S. bishops gather for their fall plenary assembly on Nov. 10-13 in Baltimore, they will elect the next president and vice president for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

The president and vice president are elected from a slate of 10 candidates who have been nominated by their fellow bishops, the USCCB said in a news release.

The candidates (in alphabetical order) are:

—Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minn.

—Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City.

—Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas.

—Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston.

—Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Ill.

—Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia.

—Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind.

—Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Ore.

—Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis.

—Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger of Detroit.

The president and vice president are elected to three-year terms, which begin at the conclusion of the plenary assembly.

The USCCB bylaws provide that the first election is of the president by simple majority vote of members present and voting. Following his election, the vice president is elected from the remaining nine candidates.

In either election, if a candidate does not receive more than half of the votes cast on the first ballot, a second vote is taken. If a third round of voting is necessary, that ballot is a run-off between the two bishops who received the most votes on the second ballot.

The current USCCB president and vice president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, will complete their terms at the assembly. †

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