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How to Cover the Catholic Church

Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

This committee oversees a wide range of U.S. and North American dialogues

with other Christian denominations and with partners of other religious faiths.

Ecumenical dialogue partners include the Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox,

Anglican (Episcopalian), Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Methodist and

various other churches. In interreligious dialogue the committee has consul-

tations with several U.S. Jewish organizations, three regional Muslim groups,

Buddhists, Sikhs and other religions. Because of the religious diversity of the

United States and its long history of religious tolerance and dialogue, many of

the U.S. Catholic dialogues with other Christian faiths and with non-Christian

religious groups have set a standard for such dialogues around the world.

Father John Crossin, OSFS, is executive director of the USCCB Secretariat

of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.

Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis

This committee, which collaborates closely with the Committee on Catholic

Education, oversees the bishops’ evangelization activities and practices related

to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA—the church’s basic program

for admitting adult converts to Catholicism), the

Catechism of the Catholic

Church

and other catechetical activities. Its Subcommittee on the Use of the

Catechism reviews Catholic school and parish-based religious education texts

for adequacy and accuracy in presenting Christian beliefs and church teach-

ings at various ages.

The Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis, in collaboration with the

Office of Catholic Education, works to ensure that Catholic efforts to spread

the Gospel and teach the Catholic faith are effective, orthodox and pastorally

sound. Peter J. Murphy is executive director of the secretariat.

Committee on International Justice and Peace

Formerly called the Committee on International Policy, it seeks to implement

Catholic teachings on peace and justice in the international field. It collabo-

rates with the Holy See and bishops’ conferences around the world to call

attention to situations of injustice and violations of human rights and dignity,

to promote human solidarity and to advocate for U.S. policies that will con-

tribute to a more just and peaceful world and for sustainable development

among the world’s poor and vulnerable populations. The director of interna-

tional justice and peace is Stephen Colecchi.