Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley has been elected president of the United States (US) Conference of Catholic Bishops, placing a staunchly conservative figure at the helm during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Coakley, a known advocate for traditional Catholic positions on abortion and LGBTQ+ issues, secured the post after three rounds of voting, defeating centrist contender Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, who was subsequently elected vice president.
Coakley had previously served as the conference’s secretary, the third-ranking official.
The election suggests the conference’s conservative leanings, even as bishops continue to press the Trump administration for more humane immigration policies.
Coakley’s advisory role at the Napa Institute, a network for conservative Catholic leaders, and his past support for the controversial Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, is seen as a leadership style that may clash with the Vatican’s inclusive, modernising agenda under Pope Leo XIV.
"The choice of Coakley is not a de-escalating step in the long-standing tensions between US bishops and the Vatican," said Steven Millies, professor of public theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
Despite ideological differences, the bishops remain united on some key issues.
Immigration reform, for instance, enjoys broad support, with clergy advocating for the pastoral care of detained migrants and warning that fear of enforcement is affecting parish life.
Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Indiana stressed that "one doesn’t lose the right to worship when one is detained, whether documented or undocumented."
During their annual meeting, the bishops sent a letter to Pope Leo announcing their commitment to migrants’ rights and religious freedom.
"We support secure and orderly borders and law enforcement actions in response to dangerous criminal activity, but we cannot remain silent in this challenging hour while the right to worship and the right to due process are undermined," the letter read.
Pope Leo, subsequently, called for reflection on the treatment of long-term residents held in detention, noting the vital impact on people who have lived peacefully in the US for years.
Coakley succeeds outgoing leader Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio for a three-year term, while Flores may remain a key figure in guiding the US bishops toward future reforms and engagement with the Vatican.
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