USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Archbishop Dolan Named Chairman Of Catholic Relief Services

Archbishop Dolan Named Chairman Of Catholic Relief Services

WASHINGTON (December 13, 2007)–Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been appointed chairman of the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). After consultation with the CRS board, Cardinal Francis George, president of the USCCB, confirmed Dolan's appointment December 10. Archbishop Dolan succeeds Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Florida, who has served as a member of the board for the past 12 years and as board chair since 2001.

"We are excited to welcome Archbishop Dolan as our new board chair and look forward to his leadership in our mission to assist the world's poor," said Ken Hackett, CRS president. "With his guidance, we will continue to work in the spirit of Catholic social teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of all people."

A CRS board member since January, 2007, Archbishop Dolan was named archbishop of Milwaukee in 2002 by Pope John Paul II after serving as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Prior to being named auxiliary bishop, he served as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome and as visiting professor of Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian University and faculty member at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. He also served as secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington for five years. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1976.

Other previously announced changes at CRS include the election to the board of directors of Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Bishop John Charles Wester of Salt Lake City, Utah. Both were elected during the USCCB general meeting, November 12-15 in Baltimore and will serve three year terms, each with an option of being re-elected for an additional three years.