The Committee On Doctrine

The Committee on Doctrine was established in 1966 in conformity with the desire of the Holy See to have within the newly constituted episcopal conference a commission to address doctrinal matters. The "Theological Commission"— the predecessor to the current Committee on Doctrine— was entrusted with the tasks of evaluating from the point of view of Catholic doctrine not only specific questions and problems which might arise, but also the means and/or programs adopted by the Church in America in the approach to these questions. The current Committee on Doctrine is governed by the following goals and objectives.

Goals & Objectives

As part of the USCCB's goal of fostering unity and collegiality between the bishops of the United States and the Roman Pontiff, the Committee on Doctrine has the following objective:

• to support and promote the Pope's universal teaching authority and leadership.

In support of the Conference's goal of assisting the bishops individually and collectively in fulfilling their roles as teachers in the faith community, the Committee has the following objectives:

• to teach Catholic doctrine where collective teaching by the bishops is needed and to offer to the bishops evaluations of theological trends and individual theological positions;
  
  
• to seek active collaboration of theologians as bishops exercise their teaching mission individually in their dioceses, collectively in the episcopal conference, and as they participate in synods of bishops or ecumenical councils;
  
  
• to provide ongoing doctrinal and theological orientation and theological programs for the bishops.

Current Membership

Chairman

His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl
Archbishop of Washington

Members:

Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair
Bishop of Toledo

Most Reverend Daniel M. Buechlein, OSB
Archbishop of Indianapolis

Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles

Most Reverend William E. Lori
Bishop of Bridgeport

Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester

Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli
Bishop of Paterson

Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron
Archbishop of Detroit

Bishop Consultants:

His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago

Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Consultants:

Very Reverend Steven C. Boguslawski, O.P
Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception

Sr. Sara Butler, MSBT
University of St. Mary of the Lake

Dr. Peter J. Casarella
DePaul University

Dr. John C. Cavadini, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame

Reverend John Michael McDermott, S.J.
Sacred Heart Major Seminary