Catholic Laity Appeal for a Worthy Shepherd in Washington,
Seek Better Communications with U.S. Hierarchy and Rome
What: Press conference
When: Thursday, November 15, 2018, at 2:00 pm
Where: Sidewalk in front of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Michigan Avenue and Harewood Road, N.E., Washington, D.C.
Who: Catholic Laity for Orthodox Bishops and Reform
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
A group of Catholic laity is forming in Washington, D.C., drawing on the results of two recent online petitions, one to remove Cardinal Donald Wuerl as Archbishop of Washington, https://www.change.org/p/pope-francis-remove-cardinal-wuerl-now/u/23266105, and the other not to appoint Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the reported front-runner, as Archbishop of Washington until the completion of an investigation into former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, https://www.change.org/p/archbishop-christophe-pierre-cardinal-tobin-must-not-be-made-archbishop-of-washington-before-investigation. The first petition has more than 141,200 signatures and is still gaining, as Cardinal Wuerl has resigned but is still running the Archdiocese as Apostolic Administrator, which could continue indefinitely. The second petition has more than 5,400 signatures and is also growing. There are reports that Cardinal Tobin’s appointment is being reconsidered, so this is a very active issue.
The initiators of these two petitions, Mrs. Winnie Obike and Mrs. Donna Bethell, along with friends and supporters, will hold a press conference on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at 2:00 pm, in front of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, at Michigan Avenue and Harewood Road, N.E. Together, we will announce the formation of Catholic Laity for Orthodox Bishops and Reform (Catholic Laity). The purpose of the group is, first, to assist in the appointment of a worthy Archbishop in Washington. The Archbishop of Washington, traditionally a Cardinal, has a position of national and global importance in the Church. Therefore, the press conference will be held in front of the National Shrine, which is the national church for U.S. Catholics, built with their contributions over many decades and administered on their behalf by the U.S. Bishops.
The second purpose of Catholic Laity is to establish a means of communicating effectively with the U.S. hierarchy and the Holy See about Catholic life in the United States. The restoration of the Catholic clergy to holiness will require the prayers, persistence, and example of the laity.
As both of these purposes have national impact, we will be inviting interested laity from across the country to email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to participate and contribute to these efforts.
