Bishop Murry elected secretary of conference

The bishop also is a member of the board of Catholic Relief Services.

BALTIMORE — The Most Reverend George V. Murry, bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, was elected secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops during the annual fall meeting last week in Baltimore. The secretary is one of five executive positions within the conference.

“I am honored to serve the church on the national level in addition to serving the Diocese of Youngstown,” Bishop Murry said about his election.

Bishop Murry was installed March 28 as the fifth bishop of Youngstown. He previously served as bishop of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago.

Currently, Bishop Murry is a member of the USCCB’s education committee and serves on the board of Catholic Relief Services, the overseas arm of the U.S. bishops.

Bishop Murry has served on a number of other committees including Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Ecumenical Affairs of the Holy See.

The USCCB, based in Washington, D.C., is an assembly of the hierarchy of the United States who jointly exercise certain pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of the United States. The purpose of the conference is to promote the greater good that the church offers.

The bishops constitute the membership of the conference and are served by a staff of more than 350 lay people, priests, deacons and religious located at the conference headquarters. There is also a small Office of Film and Broadcasting in New York City and a branch office of Migration and Refugee Services in Miami.

Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago, was elected president and Bishop Gerald Kicans of Tucson, Ariz., vice president.