National Catholic Welfare Conference. — It was established in 1919 after the First World War and is an organization of the members of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the United States of America with specific aims defined by the brief *Communes litteras* of Benedict XV (1 April 1919) and the apostolic letter of Pius XI (1 August 1927).
Every bishop in the territory and possessions of the United States is an active and passive member. Its purpose is to unify, coordinate, and organize all Catholic activities, such as, for example, in the fields of education, social work, and assistance to immigrants. The governing office is composed of 10 bishops elected for one year at the annual conference of the hierarchy.
Bibl.: AAS, 11 (1919), pp. 171-74. Saverio Paventi