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First African-American elected president Bishop Wilton Gregory By Patricia Zapor Washington (CNS) O n the second day of their fall general meeting in Washing ton, the U.S. bishops elected the first African-American to serve as president of their conference, Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Illinois. They also elected other officers and committee chairmen and chair- men-elect, discussed the church’s role in the world following the September 11 terrorist attacks and heard presentations on the Vatican’s recent instruction on liturgical translation. Bishop Gregory, 53, was elected president for a three-year term on the bishops’ first ballot at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. He has been vice president for the past three years, and is the first African-Ameri can and the first Catholic convert to be elected president of the U.S. bish ops in history. The bishops also elected Bishop William S. Skylstad, 67, of Spo kane, Washington, as vice president and Archbishop James P. Kelleher of Kansas City, Kansas, as treasur er-elect. The term of the current secretary, Bishop William B. Friend of Shreveport, Louisiana, does not end until 2003. Among those elected to commit tee leadership were Miami Auxili ary Bishop Thomas G. Wenski to head the Committee on Migration; Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of of U.S.C.C.B. Washington to head the Committee on Domestic Policy, which closely follows congressional actions; Chi cago’s Cardinal Francis E. George, as chairman-elect of the Committee on Liturgy; and Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida, as chairman-elect of the Committee on International Policy. Savannah Bishop J. Kevin Boland was voted chairman-elect of the Marriage and Family Life Com mittee. The election was held during the bishops’ November 12-15 fall gen eral meeting, their first as the USCCB, operating under new statutes that call for all officers and chairmen to be elected a year in (Continued on page 11) Catholic education administrators meet in Savannah T he Chief Administrators of Ca tholic Education (C.A.C.E.) of the National Catholic Education As sociation held their annual meeting in Savannah from November 4-8. Educators from across the United States enjoyed the hospitality of the Hostess City during their annual meeting last week at the DeSoto Hilton Hotel. Chief Administrators of Catholic Education (CACE), a branch of the National Catholic Education As sociation (NCEA), comprises of fices of Catholic School leadership, Total Catholic Education and Direc tors of Religious Education. The theme of the annual meeting was Continuing the Catholic Educa tion Odyssey: Communicating the Spirit Connecting the Values Creating Communities. Ms. Carole Eipers gave the keynote address entitled “2001: A Grace Odyssey.” Eipers addressed the responsibility of the catechist or educator to acclimate those they serve to discipleship and to respon siveness to God’s grace. In the wake of the September tragedy, participants also spent time reflecting on the responsibility of the leader to foster attitudes of peace and justice. Bishop J. Kevin Boland celebrated a Mass for Peace and Justice on Wednesday reminding participants that as they have been sealed with the Spirit it is their duty to communi cate that spirit in word and action. In his closing remarks, Matt Hayes, Vice President of CACE, noted that “the Odyssey contin ues... on into the mission of educa tion. It is our prayer that all who have been sealed with the Spirit will welcome the challenges of this new millennium.” Savannah Catholic Schools super intendent Sister Rose Mary Collins, SSJ, assistant superintendent Sister Joan Felicia O’Reilly, IHM, and director of religious education Ann Pinckney hosted the event. Left: Sister Joan Felicia O’Reilly, IHM, assistant superintendent of Catholic Schools, enjoys a lighter moment at the homily of closing Mass of the C.A.C.E. annual meeting at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, November 7. Right: Keynote speaker Carole Eipers got the group’s attention for her talk, “2001: A Grace Odyssey” by dressing up in a NASA flight suit. A “stewardship parish” —page 6 Canine Task Force visits Saint Mary’s Home -page 7 Vets’ monument rededicated —page 12