What does the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops do?
The USCCB is an organization of the active Roman Catholic bishops in the United States — about 275 of them — working together in carrying out their pastoral ministry. The bulk of the work of the church happens within the local jurisdiction of each bishop, which is called a diocese. The conference exists to unify, coordinate, and promote that diocesan-level work, not to duplicate or supervise it. I’ve heard the conference compared to a trade association of bishops. That’s not really accurate, but it’s closer to the mark than the “mini-Vatican” that some imagine it to be. That’s actually a common misunderstanding of Catholic hierarchy. We’re a lot flatter than many assume. The diocesan bishop makes the call within his jurisdiction, and he is largely subject only to the Holy See in Rome. The chain of authority is basically the pastor of a parish, then the bishop, and then the Holy See. It’s a very wide, very flat pyramid. There are other forms of authority in the church, but they are ge
