International News

Agenda for US Bishops’ Meeting

WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. bishops, meeting in New Orleans June 11-13, will discuss today’s economy and its impact on marriages and evangelization. They will also review their efforts in preventing sexual abuse of children, strengthening marriage, helping typhoon victims and preparing for upcoming Church-sponsored events on family life.

The bishops will hear presentations on “Marriage and the Economy” and “The New Evangelization and Poverty” on the second day of their gathering before they close for executive sessions.

The first day will be filled with reports on upcoming events, including presentations on the Oct. 5-19 extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family and the World Meeting of Families, set for Sept. 22-27, 2015, in Philadelphia.

The synod at the Vatican this October will bring together presidents of bishops’ conferences, the heads of Eastern Catholic churches and the heads of Vatican offices to discuss “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.”

Pope Francis has said the synod will take up the subject of Church teaching and practice on marriage, including the eligibility of divorced and civilly married Catholics to receive Communion.

The bishops will hear a presentation by Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, on the World Meeting of Families taking place in Philadelphia next September.

The bishops will also hear a report from Catholic Relief Services regarding relief efforts in the Philippines in the wake of last November’s Typhoon Haiyan.