American Catholic Church Meeting in Baltimore to Chart Course; Bishops Ask, 'What Does Pope Francis Want Us To Do?'

What direction should the American Catholic Church take in the light of changes that Pope Francis is pursuing as part of his reform agenda?

The question is not an easy one to answer for the more than 200 bishops from all over the U.S. currently meeting in Baltimore to choose their new leaders.

Echoing the bishops' struggle to cope with the changes in the Holy See, Cardinal Francis George said Pope Francis "says wonderful things but doesn't put them together all the time, so you're left at times puzzling over what his intention is."

What he says is clear enough, but what does he want us to do?" asked George, a former president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who will step down next week as the archbishop of Chicago.

In an interview with the New York Times on Sunday, the 77-year-old George, who is being treated for cancer, said he would like to travel to Rome to see Francis: "I'd like to sit down with him and say, Holy Father, first of all, thank you for letting me retire. And could I ask you a few questions about your intentions?"

The U.S. Catholic bishops conference began on Monday. The participants are expected to elect their new leaders during the week. Following the election, the new leaders are expected to outline their views on the future of the American church.

A large majority of the bishops were appointed by Francis' conservative predecessors – Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II. Like George, some of them say they do not yet understand what kind of change Pope Francis wants in the Church.

The Pope earlier called on the Church to open discussions on controversial issues such as communion for the divorced and remarried, same-sex relationships, and couples who live together without being married.

Some of the bishops welcome the Pope's call for reforms. But others, like Cardinal George, remain sceptical. A few have openly disagreed with the Pope, including Cardinal Raymond Burke who was removed on Saturday from his position as head of the Vatican's highest court.

One of the prelates who are supportive of the Pope is Bishop Blase J. Cupich, the head of an obscure diocese of Spokane, Washington, who was surprisingly picked by the Holy Father to replace George as the archbishop of Chicago.

In an interview, Cupich explained his understanding of what Pope Francis is trying to do. "The Pope is saying some very challenging things for people. He's not saying, this is the law and you follow it and you get to heaven. He's saying we have to do something about our world today that's suffering, people are being excluded, neglected. We have a responsibility, and he's calling people to task," Cupich said.

The bishop said he had no idea how Pope Francis selected him as the new Archbishop of Chicago when the two of them haven't even met yet. "Maybe someday over a nice glass of Chianti I'll ask him," Cupich said.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has established a new judicial body specifically tasked to deal with clerical sex abuse. The new body, which is known as a college and which went into effect on Tuesday, was established "due to the number of appeals and the need to guarantee that they are examined more rapidly and following detailed reflection," according to a Vatican press statement.

Pope Francis ordered the creation of the new body last Nov. 3.

The department will be composed of seven members appointed by the Pope from among cardinals and bishops, and will be entrusted with examining appeals by clergy accused of having committed "delicta graviora," or "more grave crimes" in order to lighten the work of the ordinary session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"Delicta graviora" are the most serious offenses in the Church. They include crimes against morality: the sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric, or the acquisition, possession, or distribution of child pornography by a cleric.