BREAKING U.S. Bishops Elect New President Archbishop Paul Coakley and Vice President at Their Plenary Assembly
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U.S. Bishops Elect New Conference President and Vice President at Plenary Assembly
Earlier today, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, was elected as Conference president, and Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville was elected as Conference vice president.
November 11, 2025
BALTIMORE – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is meeting in Baltimore this week for their plenary assembly. Earlier today, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, was elected as Conference president, and Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville was elected as Conference vice president. They succeed Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, the Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who are concluding their terms as Conference president and vice president, respectively.
The president and vice president were elected from a slate of 10 nominees. Archbishop Coakley was elected president with 128-109 votes over Bishop Flores in a runoff on the third ballot. In the vote for vice president, Bishop Flores was elected vice president on the first ballot from the remaining nine candidates. Both bishops will assume their respective new offices for a three-year term after the adjournment of the plenary assembly on Thursday.
Archbishop Coakley currently serves as Conference secretary, a position he has held since 2022 when he was elected to complete the term left vacant when Archbishop Broglio, who had been serving as Conference secretary was elected as president. Archbishop Coakley was then re-elected to serve a full three-year term as Conference secretary through November 2027. The bishops will vote tomorrow for a Conference secretary to complete the term that will be vacant as a result of Archbishop Coakley assuming the presidency.
USCCB Release
Read Archbishop Coakley’s biography: Archbishop of Oklahoma City
On Dec. 16, 2010, Bishop Coakley was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the fourth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. He was installed as metropolitan archbishop on Feb. 11, 2011, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Archbishop Coakley selected "Duc in Altum" (Put Out into the Deep) as his episcopal motto. It is found in Saint Luke’s gospel when Jesus, after teaching the crowds from Simon’s boat, invites the apostles to "put out into the deep" and lower their nets for a catch (Lk.5:4). Obedient to Jesus’ command, Simon Peter and his companions cast their nets as directed, and “caught such a great number of fish that their nets were at the breaking point” (Lk. 5:4). Jesus calls the Church today, as always, to put out into the deep, as a witness to hope, to hear and to respond joyfully to his word with faith and confidence.
On Nov. 11, 2025, Archbishop Coakley became president-elect of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Read Archbishop Coakley’s biography: Archbishop of Oklahoma City
On Dec. 16, 2010, Bishop Coakley was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the fourth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. He was installed as metropolitan archbishop on Feb. 11, 2011, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Archbishop Coakley selected "Duc in Altum" (Put Out into the Deep) as his episcopal motto. It is found in Saint Luke’s gospel when Jesus, after teaching the crowds from Simon’s boat, invites the apostles to "put out into the deep" and lower their nets for a catch (Lk.5:4). Obedient to Jesus’ command, Simon Peter and his companions cast their nets as directed, and “caught such a great number of fish that their nets were at the breaking point” (Lk. 5:4). Jesus calls the Church today, as always, to put out into the deep, as a witness to hope, to hear and to respond joyfully to his word with faith and confidence.
On Nov. 11, 2025, Archbishop Coakley became president-elect of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Read Bishop Flores’ biography:
Fernando Javier Flores and Lydia Dilley Flores, the parents of Daniel E. Flores, were both born of families long established around the town of Zapata, Texas, with roots on both sides of the border between Texas and Mexico. They married in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1958, and began to raise their family in that city. During the first years of their marriage, seeking work to support his family, Bishop Flores’ father worked construction, and for this reason the family moved frequently. They lived for a time in various towns, such as Palacios, Texas; Luling, Louisiana; Meridian, Mississippi; McAllen, Texas; and Zapata, Texas. They would return to Corpus Christi whenever work was available in the area. Bishop Daniel Flores, second son of Fernando and Lydia, was born in 1961 in Palacios, Texas. He was baptized at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Zapata, Texas.
Bishop Flores received his First Holy Communion and Confirmation at Saint Paul the Apostle Church in the Flour Bluff area of Corpus Christi. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School in 1979. During high school, he began to consider the possibility of studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. He attended the University of Texas at Austin for two years, prior to entering the seminary. In 1981, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary, an institution associated to the University of Dallas and received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1983, and a Masters of Divinity in 1987. He completed his preparations for the priesthood in 1988.
In January 1988, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Corpus Christi by Bishop Rene H. Gracida. As a priest of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, he served in a number of capacities, including Parochial Vicar at Corpus Christi Cathedral, Secretary to the Bishop, Diocesan Master of Ceremonies, Assistant Chancellor, Rector of the Saint John Vianney House of Studies, and Episcopal Vicar for Vocations. In September 1995, Pope John Paul II named him a Chaplain to His Holiness, with the honorary title of Monsignor. In September 1997, he was sent by Bishop Roberto Gonzalez, OFM, to Rome to pursue a doctoral degree in the theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Bishop Flores resided at the North American College, Casa Santa Maria in Rome, while studying at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum). He completed his degree (S.T.D.) in 2000 and returned to Corpus Christi that year, and was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Corpus Christi by Bishop Edmond Carmody.
In August 2001, he was sent to serve in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as part of the formation faculty of St. Mary’s Seminary and the teaching faculty at the University of St. Thomas School of Theology, in Houston, Texas. He taught courses in Patristics, Medieval and Thomistic Theology, and Modern Catholic Literature. He was named Vice-Rector of St. Mary’s Seminary in June 2002. In September 2005, Bishop Edmond Carmody named him to serve as Rector of Corpus Christi Cathedral, in Corpus Christi, Texas. During the months of the scholastic year 2005-2006, he administered Corpus Christi Cathedral while completing his seminary duties in Houston, Texas. In June of 2006, he returned to the Diocese of Corpus Christi to assume the position of Cathedral Rector on a full time basis.
In October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI named him Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit, in Michigan. He was ordained on November 29, 2006, in a ceremony presided over by Adam Cardinal Maida, Archbishop of Detroit. Recognizing the growing population of Catholics of Hispanic heritage in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Cardinal Maida named Bishop Flores to oversee Hispanic ministry in the Archdiocese. At the same time, he gave his responsibility over a region of the Archdiocese, and directed him to teach theology at the Archdiocesan Major Seminary (Sacred Heart Major Seminary). With time, he was assigned as Episcopal liaison to the Cardinal for Black Catholic Affairs in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and moderator of matters related to Catholic hospitals in the Archdiocese. Bishop Flores continued with these responsibilities under the direction of Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who was named Archbishop of Detroit in January, 2008.
On December 9, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Flores as the Sixth Bishop of Brownsville. He was installed on February 2, 2010 at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle – National Shrine, and thus became the third native Texan to serve the Rio Grande Valley as Bishop.
On a national level, as a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Bishop Flores currently serves as Chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church. He also serves as a member to the following committees: Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, Committee of Divine Worship, Sub-Committee on Pro-life Activities, and the Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the charitable arm of the United States Bishops Conference for international assistance.
Bishop Flores received his First Holy Communion and Confirmation at Saint Paul the Apostle Church in the Flour Bluff area of Corpus Christi. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School in 1979. During high school, he began to consider the possibility of studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. He attended the University of Texas at Austin for two years, prior to entering the seminary. In 1981, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary, an institution associated to the University of Dallas and received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1983, and a Masters of Divinity in 1987. He completed his preparations for the priesthood in 1988.
In January 1988, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Corpus Christi by Bishop Rene H. Gracida. As a priest of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, he served in a number of capacities, including Parochial Vicar at Corpus Christi Cathedral, Secretary to the Bishop, Diocesan Master of Ceremonies, Assistant Chancellor, Rector of the Saint John Vianney House of Studies, and Episcopal Vicar for Vocations. In September 1995, Pope John Paul II named him a Chaplain to His Holiness, with the honorary title of Monsignor. In September 1997, he was sent by Bishop Roberto Gonzalez, OFM, to Rome to pursue a doctoral degree in the theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Bishop Flores resided at the North American College, Casa Santa Maria in Rome, while studying at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum). He completed his degree (S.T.D.) in 2000 and returned to Corpus Christi that year, and was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Corpus Christi by Bishop Edmond Carmody.
In August 2001, he was sent to serve in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as part of the formation faculty of St. Mary’s Seminary and the teaching faculty at the University of St. Thomas School of Theology, in Houston, Texas. He taught courses in Patristics, Medieval and Thomistic Theology, and Modern Catholic Literature. He was named Vice-Rector of St. Mary’s Seminary in June 2002. In September 2005, Bishop Edmond Carmody named him to serve as Rector of Corpus Christi Cathedral, in Corpus Christi, Texas. During the months of the scholastic year 2005-2006, he administered Corpus Christi Cathedral while completing his seminary duties in Houston, Texas. In June of 2006, he returned to the Diocese of Corpus Christi to assume the position of Cathedral Rector on a full time basis.
In October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI named him Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit, in Michigan. He was ordained on November 29, 2006, in a ceremony presided over by Adam Cardinal Maida, Archbishop of Detroit. Recognizing the growing population of Catholics of Hispanic heritage in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Cardinal Maida named Bishop Flores to oversee Hispanic ministry in the Archdiocese. At the same time, he gave his responsibility over a region of the Archdiocese, and directed him to teach theology at the Archdiocesan Major Seminary (Sacred Heart Major Seminary). With time, he was assigned as Episcopal liaison to the Cardinal for Black Catholic Affairs in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and moderator of matters related to Catholic hospitals in the Archdiocese. Bishop Flores continued with these responsibilities under the direction of Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who was named Archbishop of Detroit in January, 2008.
On December 9, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Flores as the Sixth Bishop of Brownsville. He was installed on February 2, 2010 at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle – National Shrine, and thus became the third native Texan to serve the Rio Grande Valley as Bishop.
On a national level, as a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Bishop Flores currently serves as Chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church. He also serves as a member to the following committees: Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, Committee of Divine Worship, Sub-Committee on Pro-life Activities, and the Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the charitable arm of the United States Bishops Conference for international assistance.
Today the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announces the election of new leadership. Our prayers accompany the newly elected President and Vice President as they embark on a three-year term, committed to advancing the mission of the Church in the United States.… pic.twitter.com/h6es827yA2
— U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) November 11, 2025
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