Archbishop Vásquez, Bishop Dell'Oro to attend U.S. bishops’ fall assembly

HOUSTON - Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell'Oro, CRS, will be joined by the rest of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Baltimore for the 2025 Fall Plenary Assembly, Nov. 10 to 13. Public sessions of the plenary on Nov. 11 and 12 will be livestreamed. Throughout the meeting, the bishops will have opportunities to spend time in prayer and fraternal dialogue with one another.

The plenary will begin with Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the USCCB, delivering his final address to the bishops as USCCB president. He will complete his three-year term as Conference president at the conclusion of the plenary assembly. His address will be followed by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States. 

Among one of the first items of business for the bishops during the plenary will be a vote for the new president and vice president of the Conference. The terms for the new USCCB president and vice president will take effect at the conclusion of this year’s plenary on November 13. The bishops will also elect chairmen of six USCCB committees. The bishops elected as committee chairmen typically serve for one year as chairman-elect before beginning a three-year term at the conclusion of the 2026 Fall Plenary Assembly.

Bishop Dell'Oro serves as a member of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs and the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the USCCB.

The plenary agenda is not final and is therefore subject to change. Executive sessions will not be livestreamed but are expected to include fraternal dialogues and informational sessions on a variety of topics. While these discussions are private, topics will include the ongoing implementation of the Synod and fraternal dialogues (an opportunity for the bishops to freely and candidly discuss important matters in a synodal manner) around best practices to continue the instruction of Laudato si’, and the apostolate of the laity. 

The public session schedule includes:

• Discussion and response to the evolving situation impacting migrants and refugees.
• A vote to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12, 2026, as part of the celebration of the American Semiquincentennial.
• An update from the Subcommittee on the Catechism on the Catechetical Accompaniment Process.
• A vote on the USCCB’s 2026 budget.
• A report from the National Eucharistic Revival initiative, followed by a vote to approve the Summer of 2029 for the next National Eucharistic Congress.
• Discussion and vote on a revised text of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.
• Discussion and votes on two action items pertaining to liturgical texts from the Committee on Divine Worship. 

The bishops will also receive updates on The Catholic University of America, and The Pontifical Mission Societies USA. Underscoring the importance that the U.S. bishops place on understanding artificial intelligence, the ethical implications of AI, its growing impact on society, and the opportunities and challenges it presents to the life of the Church, a presentation will be held in public session.

The livestream of the public portions of the plenary on November 11 and 12 will be available at: www.usccb.org/meetings. Those wishing to follow the meeting on social media may use the hashtag #USCCB25 follow on Instagram (@USCCB), Facebook (@USCCB), TikTok (@USBishops), Threads (@USCCB), Bluesky (@usccbofficial.bsky.social) and X (@USCCB).