Much of the business appears to be routine, though the bishops as a body have been vocal in recent months about a range of political and social issues, as well as internal church politics, that are sure to come up during the meeting.

The bishops said the tax proposal “appears to be the first federal income tax modification in American history that will raise income taxes on the working poor while simultaneously providing a large tax cut to the wealthy."

A Vatican conference represents the beginning of a coordination of Catholic universities, institutions and bishops's conferences on this issue.

There are signs that at least among some U.S. Catholic bishops, statements of grief and sorrow are being backed up with pledges to push for legislative action on guns.

Father Weinandy surely wrote his letter out of a heartfelt desire to help the church. But in doing so, he belied a misunderstanding of one of the basic elements of Pope Francis’ teaching.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger urged that dissent from ordinary Magisterium should be disclosed privately to church authority.