Catholic Relief Services Welcomes New Chairman, Bishop Robert N. Lynch

Catholic Relief Services
Wednesday, 2 January 2002

Catholic Relief Services welcomed today the new chairman of its board of directors, Bishop Robert N. Lynch from the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. Lynch, who had previously served on CRS' board, assumed his role on January 1. He replaces Bishop John H. Ricard of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, who served two terms as Chair of CRS.

"We are very excited to begin working with Bishop Lynch as the new chairman of our board of directors," said Ken Hackett, Executive Director of Catholic Relief Services. "His support of Catholic Relief Services and his strong commitment to its mission, already exhibited during his tenure on our board of directors in the early 90s, will be our strength as we continue to work toward the alleviation of human suffering and the fostering of charity and justice throughout the world."

Bishop Lynch was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1941 and received his bachelor of arts degree from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio in 1963. In 1978, he earned a master's degree in divinity from Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Miami. Installed as the Bishop of St. Petersburg in 1996, Bishop Lynch has served as the General Secretary for the United States Catholic Conference and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"I love CRS and what it does for the world's poor. It was my privilege to serve for six years as a member of the board of directors of CRS (1989-1995)," said Bishop Lynch. "It was a wonderful opportunity to visit and witness firsthand the work of the women and men of CRS in Morocco, Indonesia, Angola and South Africa. I look forward to reengaging and to helping in the years ahead."

Catholic Relief Services is the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Founded in 1943, the agency provides assistance to people in more than 80 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Catholic Relief Services provides assistance on the basis of need, not race, creed or nationality.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org