Plenary Speaker Bishop Blase J. Cupich – Monday, May 21, 2012

Bishop Blase Joseph Cupich is the current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington. He was installed as the sixth bishop of the Spokane Diocese on September 3, 2010 after serving for 12 years as the Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota. He has an S.T.D. in Sacramental Theology from the Catholic University of America.   Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Cupich currently serves as Chair of the Bishops’ Committee on the Protection for Children and Young People and is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Scripture Translation. He has served as a member of the Committee on Liturgy, the Communications Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism. He is also a member of the Board of the Catholic Extension Society and the Catholic Mutual Relief Society. He has served on the Board of Trustees of St. Paul Seminary, as the Episcopal Advisor of the Serra Club, and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Pastoral Life Center.   Bishop Cupich has been involved in the Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project as well as the 2011 Collegeville National Symposium on Lay Ecclesial Ministry.  Recent publications include “Power in the Present: Hope for the Future” (America, March 23, 2009) and “The Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project:  The Theological, Sacramental and Ecclesial Context” (National Ministry Summit, May 15, 2008).