Chicago, Athens, and Jerusalem

Francis George, the Archbishop of Chicago, has been elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Although the position conveys little additional authority on Church policy (all important decisions are handed down to the national conferences from the Vatican), it adds symbolic support to Cardinal George’s role as a leader and spokesman for American Catholicism. George has previously served as the vice-president of the Bishops’ organization.

Cardinal George received 85% of the vote for the conference presidency. George was elevated to Archbishop (stationed first in Portland, and subsequently in his hometown of Chicago) by the late John Paul II. Since John Paul’s death, Cardinal George has demonstrated himself to be a major supporter of Pope Benedict XVI.

Also on the agenda at the Bishops’ conference this week is the issue of political involvement for the 2008 election season. Here is a report on that topic from PBS.