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Francis, the comic strip: What's going on with those bishops in the United States?

<p class="MsoNormal">I suppose it was fitting, in a depressing kind of way, that the U.S. bishops' conference plenary coincided with former President Donald Trump's announcement he is seeking the presidency in 2024. In both church and state, the future will be dominated by divisiveness and a culture war ethic for the next few years, a result that contradicts the founding mission of both. The future is grim.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">This year's plenary meeting of the country's Catholic bishops will probably not garner the same attention it did in 2021, when the prelates were expected to debate whether to deny Communion to pro-choice politicians. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p>The U.S. Catholic bishops' conference on Nov. 15 elected Archbishop Timothy Broglio, a former Vatican diplomat who has supported religious exemptions for coronavirus vaccines and has blamed gay priests for the clergy abuse crisis, as their new president.</p> <p>Broglio, who as the archbishop for the Military Services is essentially the nation's chief Catholic chaplain, garnered 138 votes on the third round of voting at the bishops' plenary assembly in Baltimore. He needed 119 votes, a majority of the 237 total votes cast.</p>

Angelo State University employees Tanner Bryant, Dr. Sangeeta Singg and James Reid have been selected to receive the 2021-22 Gary and Pat Rodgers Distinguished Awards honoring outstanding ASU staff, faculty and administrators.