U.S. Bishops’ President Appoints Archbishop Thomas Wenski as Acting Chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty

WASHINGTON – Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has appointed Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami to serve as Acting Chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty until the November 2020 General Assembly. The appointment was made following the death of Bishop George V. Murry, S.J., of Youngstown, previous chairman of the committee.

 “Archbishop Wenski is an energetic leader who truly brings a servant’s heart for ministry,” said Archbishop Gomez. “I deeply appreciate his willingness to step into this role and lead the important work of the Committee for Religious Liberty.”

Archbishop Wenski served as Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development from 2013 to 2016, and Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace from 2005 to 2008. He also served as Chairman of the Committee on Migration from 2002 to 2005, and Chairman of the board of Catholic Legal Immigration Network from 1998 to 2001. Additionally, he has served as a member of several committees, including the Committee on Pro-Life Activities and the Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America.

Thomas Wenski was born October 18, 1950 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was ordained a priest on May 15, 1976, appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Miami on June 21, 1997, and was installed as the fourth Archbishop of Miami on June 1, 2010. Archbishop Wenski holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, and he holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from Fordham University. He speaks Spanish and Haitian Creole fluently. His episcopal motto is Omnia omnibus, taken from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “I have become all things to all in order to save at least some.”

###
Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
202-541-3200