Originally published at National Catholic Register
When the U.S. bishops gather in Baltimore Nov. 11-14, there will be something of an elephant in the room.
That’s because the annual U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall assembly will be taking place one week after Republican contender Donald Trump secured a return to the White House by soundly defeating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
And as a result, some of the bishops’ more politically adjacent discussions and committee elections, including those involving immigration and abortion, are likely to unfold with the unique challenges and opportunities of a Trump presidency squarely in mind.
The USCCB has already addressed Trump’s victory, with conference president Archbishop Timothy Broglio congratulating the Republican in a Nov. 6 statement that also emphasizes the Church’s nonpartisan commitment to advancing the common good and the need for unity and prayer.
But if past is prelude, the election results are almost guaranteed to be further addressed at the fall assembly, especially given the likelihood of a new U.S. president emboldened by a popular-vote mandate and a Congress at least partially controlled by his fellow Republicans.
For instance, Archbishop Broglio or another leadership figure could make additional comments on the challenges to Catholic commitments posed by Trump, who
