Bishop Caggiano named chairman of Catholic Relief Services board

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is the new chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services following his appointment by Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Caggiano succeeds Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, whose three-year term has ended. Mansour heads the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn.

"It's a great honor to lead an organization that is such a bright light for all of our brothers and sisters overseas who don't have enough to eat or a place to sleep because of entrenched poverty," Caggiano said in a statement released Nov. 25 by CRS.

"All of God's children have the right to live in just and peaceful societies, and for more than 75 years CRS has worked toward making that a reality. I look forward to joining forced to build on all of the organization's substantial achievements and to tackling the challenges that affect so many members of God's family," he said.

Mansour in a statement from the agency said he expects his successor to be a "hands-on leader who will roll up his sleeves and get to work while inspiring others to do the same."

Caggiano, 60, has had a particular focus on building youth and young adults in the church. He also has directed his ministry toward troubled and marginalized people and to Catholics who no longer participate in the life of the church.

Caggiano has led the Bridgeport Diocese since September 2013 following his appointment by Pope Francis. Previously he was an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn for seven years. He was ordained a priest in 1987 after a short stint as a sales representative for the Gregg Division of McGraw Hill Publishing Co.

The bishop is a member of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis and chairs the Subcommittee on Catechism. In 2018 he was one of five U.S. bishops elected to represent the American church at the Vatican's Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment.

Caggiano was elected to a seat on the CRS board during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' fall general assembly Nov. 12. His term as chairman lasts three years.