Father J. Brian Bransfield Appointed Associate General Secretary of USCCB

WASHINGTON (December 15, 2010)—Father J. Brian Bransfield, a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, has been appointed associate general secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The appointment was made by Msgr. Ronny Jenkins, general secretary-elect of the Conference and current associate general secretary, in consultation with the USCCB Executive Committee and Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia. It will take effect when Msgr. Jenkins assumes the position of general secretary in June 2011.

“The skills and background that Father Bransfield brings to the General Secretariat will complement and strengthen the office in service to the bishops individually and the Conference as a whole,” said Msgr. Jenkins. “We look forward to benefitting greatly from his theological expertise and his organizational, managerial and communication skills.”

The General Secretariat oversees the work of the USCCB on behalf of the U.S. bishops.

Father Bransfield was ordained a priest in 1994 and has received a licentiate and doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. He served in parish and high school ministry, seminary formation and graduate teaching before coming to the USCCB in 2007 as a theological specialist in the Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis.

With USCCB, Father Bransfield served as lead staff to the Task Force for Faith Formation before assuming the position of executive director of the Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis. He concurrently served as the lead staff to the Ad Hoc Committee on the Defense of Marriage. In March 2009, he was named assistant general secretary tasked with coordinating the implementation and evaluation of the bishops’ strategic and priority plans.

Father Bransfield is the author of a book on the thought of Pope John Paul II, entitled The Human Person: According to John Paul II. He is a frequent speaker on topics including the New Evangelization, marriage and family and the theology of the body. He has offered retreats to priests and religious throughout the country.
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Keywords: Father J. Brian Bransfield, associate general secretary, USCCB, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Msgr. Ronny Jenkins, June 2011, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Evangelization and Catechesis, Priorities and Plans, Defense of Marriage, theology of the body