New president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has Philly ties

Earlier this month, Archbishop of Louisville Joseph Kurtz became the newest president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Born in Schuylkill County, Archbishop Kurtz attended seminary in Philadelphia and worked in parishes in Allentown and Bethlehem.

As president of the USCCB, he’ll assist individual bishops across the country, take common positions on relevant issues, and work in tandem with other conferences. He’ll also be the face of the Catholic Church for many in the United States, as his predecessor Cardinal Timothy Dolan was.

But like his predecessor, Archbishop Kurtz has his detractors. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) says he personally hasn’t done enough for victims of sexual abuse by priests and they’re disappointed he was elected to a higher office within the Church, though he says the Church has made great strides in helping victims.