USCCB Considering Headquarters Sale Amidst Government Funding Cutbacks

Have President Trump’s NGO funding cuts exposed the U.S. bishops’ dependency on government funding?
The U.S. bishops’ conference is at the start of a restructuring process that could see its Washington, D.C. headquarters sold or leased, as the conference faces ongoing financial challenges and a recent round of layoffs.
A task force of bishops was charged last month with leading a process to review the USCCB’s priorities and operations, in order to make concrete decisions about asset and resource allocation in future budget cycles.
While conference leaders say that USCCB finances are healthy, the task force approaches its work after a significant loss of federal funds, and personnel cuts across several departments in recent years.
At the USCCB’s plenary meeting in Baltimore last month, outgoing treasurer Archbishop James Checchio told bishops that the conference was facing “a challenge.”
“Succinctly,” Checchio said, “times have changed, but our physical structure has not, and the …