Bishops in "Balmer"

Today the US Catholic Conference of Bishops began their annual meeting in Baltimore -- not in Washington, as they have done in the past. The most public reason given is for the re-dedication of the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore, once the location of the "primatial see" of America. Having been restored to its original splendor as Benjamin Latrobe had designed, it is a suitable location for major liturgical events of the American bishops en masse. (Rocco gives the lowdown.) But then there's the other reason, only now becoming more public, that the need to reduce operating costs -- in addition to organizational shifting and staff cutbacks -- precipitated an indefinite move. Keeping the annual event in Baltimore is a good sign, as it may herald (finally!) a serious re-focus of priorities for the conference, in favor of the issues that don't cave in to a secular political agenda.

I used to attend the conference, albeit waiting in the wings with press privileges, for several years. It was in the hotel lounge that I would meet with other reporters and various interest groups. Once I interviewed for a spot as a regular columnist for a major Catholic periodical, a job I didn't get. It was okay, though; I was keeping my day job anyway. Anyway, my last attendance was in 2002, after which my priorities had to be shifted elsewhere.

My "career" as a writer had to be tabled. Then this whole weblog thing came along. You know the rest.

There is continued coverage on the public events live on EWTN, including live streaming audio and video on the internet. [UPDATE: Or, you can read what Amy wrote about it. Like everybody else.]