USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - 13 New Members Are Announced for the U.S. Catholic Bishops' National Advisory Council

13 New Members Are Announced for the U.S. Catholic Bishops' National Advisory Council

WASHINGTON (January 6, 1998) -- Thirteen new members have been added to the Catholic Bishops' National Advisory Council, a 63-member body which meets semi-annually to review documentation and offer recommendations concerning matters before the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and the United States Catholic Conference (USCC).

Membership on the Council is for a four-year term, with the exception of those bishops who are elected to the Council for a three-year term which coincides with their term on the NCCB Administrative Committee and the USCC Administrative Board,

Joining the Council as a representative of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious is Sister Maureen Hall, SCL, of Leavenworth, Kansas.

Also joining the Council as a diocesan priest representative from Region IX is Reverend Robert W. Finn of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

From the thirteen regions of the Conference, those having regional elections in 1997 have announced the following new lay men and women representatives: Region II: Henry W. Dwyer of Floral Park, NY, and Mary E. Thompson of Brooklyn, NY; Region III: Frank C. Pregler, MD, of Erie, PA, and Ann Burgmeyer of Summit, NJ; Region VII: John F. Rogan of Middleton, WI, and Donna L. Hansen of Onalaska, WI; Region VIII: Richard L. Thompson of Rapid City, SD, and Lois P. Andersen of Richfield, MN.

In the At-Large category, at-large members, representing all categories of membership, are appointed by a selection committee of the National Advisory Council from names proposed by the bishops of the 193 dioceses. These individuals are selected to provide an occupational, ethnic and regional balance to the Council. New at-large members to the Council are Christopher Bradley, Philadelphia, PA; Deacon Manuel J. Martinez, Santa Barbara, CA; and Anh-Dung J. Nguyen of Baton Rouge, LA.

1998 officers are Mrs. Helen Boettcher, Evansville, IN, Chairperson; Reverend John E. MacInnis, Brighton, MA, Chairperson-Elect; Mr. Andrew Lyke, Jr., Matteson, IL, Secretary; Ms. Rita Wray, Brandon, MS, Internal Affairs; Ms. Rhonda M. Lohkamp, Wichita, KS, Reactive Chairperson; Mrs. Mary M. Jeffcoat, Charleston, SC, Proactive Chairperson. The past Chairperson of the Council is Miss Kathleen Dyer of Fulton, NY.