WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Hartford Auxiliary Bishop Peter A. Rosazza, 75, from the office of auxiliary bishop.

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Blase Cupich, 61, of Rapid City, South Dakota, to the Diocese of Spokane, Washington, and accepted the resignation of Bishop William Skylstad, 76, from pastoral governance of the diocese.

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Father Arthur Kennedy, 68, and Father Peter J. Uglietto, 58, priests of the Archdiocese of Boston and both seminary rectors, as auxiliary bishops of Boston. The pope also accepted the resignation of Boston Auxiliary Bishop Emilio Allué, SDB, 75, from the office of auxiliary bishop.

WASHINGTON—A Senate committee amendment that would authorize the performance of elective abortions at military hospitals in this country and around the world is “misguided” and should be removed from the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 3454), said the Chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. In a June 29 letter, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston urged Senators to remove this amendment on the grounds that it breaks with longstanding federal and military policies on government promotion of abortion.

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage has launched a new initiative for the protection of marriage, entitled Marriage: Unique for a Reason. The initiative is to help catechize and educate Catholics on the meaning of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Philadelphia Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McFadden, 63, as Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and named Msgr. Michael Fitzgerald, 62, Judicial Vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal of Philadelphia, as an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON—While meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida, for prayer and reflection, on June 18, the U.S. bishops voiced their prayers and solidarity for those affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

WASHINGTON—The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities voiced “grave concern” to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its move toward approving a new drug that may induce early abortions as an “emergency contraceptive.” In a June 17 letter to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the FDA, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston criticized the FDA’s move to hold an advisory committee meeting on the drug Ulipristal “without broad public input or a full record on the drug’s safety for women or their unborn children.”

WASHINGTON—The overseer of the maritime ministry of the U.S. bishops expressed solidarity with those impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and announced the creation of a network to help with the human and environmental harm caused by the disaster.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—The Catholic Campaign for Human Development approved grants up to $300,000 to assist people and dioceses affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Meeting June 12, the Subcommittee for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development approved these funds outside of the regular funding cycle of the Campaign in order to help low-income people and vulnerable communities impacted by the oil spill to have an effective voice in shaping the response to this terrible challenge.

WASHINGTON—Participants at the Catholic bishops' Regional Consultation on Migration in Washington, June 2-4 issued a joint statement calling for protection, hospitality, service and justice to immigrants throughout the hemisphere.

WASHINGTON—Video and print resources from the Canon Law Seminar for Media, explaining the Church’s processes for dealing with clergy sexual abuse of minors, are now available online at http://www.usccb.org/canonlawseminar/

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI named Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop William P. Callahan, OFM, Conv., 59, as Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

WASHINGTON—“What does it mean to be human?” A new book by the priest who spearheads the evangelization and catechetical efforts of the U.S. bishops explores this question by drawing on the teachings of Pope John Paul II in his theology of the body. In The Human Person: According to John Paul II, published by Pauline Books and Media, Father J. Brian Bransfield examines the vision of humanity expressed by Pope John Paul II and uses it as the basis for a moral theology that offers practical guidance and support in living the Christian life.

WASHINGTON—The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation continued work on a new agreed statement during its meeting at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, June 1-3. The meeting was co-chaired by Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh and Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans.

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. John J. McIntyre, 46, secretary to Cardinal Justin Rigali, as an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, and accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Robert P. Maginnis, 76, from the office of auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Vincentian Father David O’Connell, up until now President of The Catholic University of America, coadjutor bishop of Trenton, New Jersey. The appointment was publicized by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. As coadjutor, Bishop-elect O’Connell will automatically succeed Bishop John M. Smith of Trenton upon his retirement.

Bishops of the United States and Latin America will hold a media conference and issue a joint statement Thursday, June 3, at 1 p.m. at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington. The bishops will discuss the immigration debate, comprehensive immigration reform, Haiti reconstruction and other issues as part of the 2010 Regional Bishops’ Consultation on Migration.

WASHNGTON—Catholics and Muslims compared sacred and pious writings at the 11th meeting of the West Coast Catholic-Muslim Dialogue, in Orange, California, May 19-20. The dialogue is co-sponsored by the Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Islamic Shura Council of California, with the cooperation of the Islamic Society of Orange County (an affiliate of the Islamic Society of North America) and the Islamic Education Center of Orange County, which is in the Shia tradition of Islam.

WASHINGTON—The Peter’s Pence Collection will be taken up in most Catholic parishes the weekend of June 26 - 27. This year’s theme, “Cast the love of Christ upon the world,” focuses on the relationship between solidarity and love.