Last month I attended our annual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Each November the U.S. bishops gather in Baltimore to discuss the state of the Church in our country. Baltimore is an appropriate place to come together since it is our nation’s oldest diocese. This is the traditional place for our bishops to meet. Older Americans would remember the “Baltimore Catechism” which was widely used in the 1940s and 1950s. Its name reflects that it was written by the bishops at a Baltimore meeting.

All are invited to an Advent mission led by Fr. Matthew Baugh, SJ, at 7 p.m. Dec. 14-16 in the old church building at St. Ignatius Parish, Mobile.  The sacrament of Reconciliation will also be available Dec. 16.  

BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops spotlighted two major initiatives focused on the central role of the Eucharist Nov. 17, the second of two days of public sessions of their fall general assembly.