BALTIMORE (RNS) — In their first conference election since the ascendance of an American pope, U.S. Catholic bishops have narrowly chosen Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, the ecclesiastical adviser for a powerful group of conservative Catholics, as their new president. Their vice president will be Brownsville, Texas, Bishop Daniel Flores, a border bishop and key voice on immigration.
As the secretary of the USCCB since 2022 and the most senior member of leadership young enough to take the presidency, Coakley had been considered the favorite.
Coakley, appointed archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, is well known for his outspoken opposition to capital punishment, as well as abortion. His most recent pastoral letter opposed gender-affirming care and the “transgender movement.” He was formerly the chairman of Catholic Relief Services, the bishops’ international development organization. He was elected by the USCCB to represent them at Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality in addition to the U.S. bishops chosen by Francis.
While there had been some speculation ahead of the election that the bishops would choose a candidate who might move the conference closer to the Vatican and further from conservative U.S. p …