Newly Elected USCCB President Says He Is Rooted In Simple Values
BALTIMORE (CNS) – The newly elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been a bishop for nearly 14 years, and he describes himself as a priest, family member and social.
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., 67, was elected Nov. 12 by his fellow bishops to serve a three-year term as president of the conference, succeeding New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan in the post. He has been vice president of the USCCB for the past three years and was elected amid a slate of 10 bishops with a 125-vote win on the first ballot.
He grew up in the coal regions of northeastern Pennsylvania; spent most of his priesthood as a social worker; and cared for his older brother, George, who had Down syndrome, for 12 years after their mother died. George Kurtz died in 2002.
Archbishop Kurtz told Catholic News Service of seeing the example of Pope Francis as a model for outreach, listening and collegiality. "He's asking us to go beyond what we've been doing," he said. "If it was a car, I guess we're moving in to high gear."
Picking up on themes of Pope Francis, Archbishop Kurtz said "we need to reach out, not, as the Holy Father said so well, (first) with rules and regulations -- which are appropriate if you're going to present a child for baptism -- but it should not be the first step. We should be reaching out as the first step."
While his term as vice president has helped him become familiar with the job he'll now add to his archdiocesan role, Archbishop Kurtz said that in some ways it's impossible to be prepared for what God calls one to do. "Do we ever get the gist of what it means to serve Christ?" he asked.
Born Aug. 18, 1946, in Mahanoy City, Pa., he was one of four children of the late George and Stella Kurtz. He earned bachelor's and master's of divinity degrees from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and a master's degree in social work from Marywood School of Social Work in Scranton, Pa. He was ordained for the Diocese of Allentown, Pa., March 18, 1972.
His 27 years in the Allentown Diocese included positions as associate director and director of the diocesan social services agencies and coordinator of health affairs; as pastor of two parishes, totaling 12 years; and as an instructor at Mary Immaculate and St. Pius X seminaries.
He served as bishop of Knoxville, Tenn., from 1999 to 2007, when he was named Archbishop of Louisville.
He was on the boards of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and the Catholic Social Agency while in Allentown. In Knoxville, he was a member of the Association of Christian Denominational Leaders and Leadership Knoxville.
Archbishop Kurtz still identifies strongly with his roots. "I grew up in a coal town. Family was very important to me. Neighbors were very important. I think we took an interest in our neighbors. That means a lot. I don't care how big the city is, I still say hello to the person I pass on the street.
"I think no matter what culture a person comes from, we can learn (about them) from their sense of family, their sense of devotion," the archbishop said. Citing Pope Francis's comments about focusing on love and mercy. seeing the dignity of an individual, and accompanying people in their struggles, he said, "I think those words suit me well."
