Archbishop Paul S. Coakley Elected President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Daniel Flores Named Vice President
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City has been elected as the new President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The election took place on November 11 during the bishops’ Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, following a secret ballot.
Bishops also elected Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, to serve as Vice President. Flores, who finished second in the presidential vote, automatically assumed the vice-presidential role. Both prelates will serve three-year terms, succeeding Archbishop Timothy Broglio and Archbishop William Lori, respectively.
Archbishop Coakley, who previously served as USCCB Secretary, has led the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City since 2011 and is recognized for his strong defense of human dignity and Catholic social teaching. He has been an outspoken advocate for the pro-life movement, immigrant rights, and criminal justice reform, while also cautioning against gender ideology and threats to the sanctity of life.
In 2022, Coakley praised Oklahoma lawmakers for enacting pro-life legislation, emphasizing that protecting life requires both legal safeguards and a “profound change of heart.” He has also opposed the death penalty, calling it “a contributor to society’s coarsening and a spiral of violence.”
On gender ideology, Coakley has urged parents to form their children with compassion and truth, while condemning the use of medical procedures and drugs for gender transition. Regarding immigration, he has balanced a call for border security with compassion for migrants, stressing that “the majority of those who come here are upstanding members of our communities, not criminals.”
Bishop Daniel Flores, who will now serve as USCCB Vice President, is a respected theologian and advocate of synodality in the Church. Formerly president of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine, he holds a doctorate in sacred theology and has been Bishop of Brownsville since 2009. Flores has urged unity in the Church and dialogue amid polarization, calling for “civil conversation to discern what is good and avoid what is evil.”
Together, Archbishop Coakley and Bishop Flores represent a leadership team committed to guiding the U.S. Church through complex moral, social, and pastoral challenges with faith, clarity, and compassion.
Credit: CNA
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