Bishop Patrick Neary, bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud, along with other bishops and members of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, met March 23 with Gov. Tim Walz and other legislative leaders at the State Capitol to discuss pro-family policies and concerns, the Minnesota Catholic Conference reported. 

“I feel that it’s been great for me to meet legislators. I really have never had much contact with them,” Neary said in the news release. “What I realized is that all of the legislators we’ve talked to said, ‘Bishops, you really have an important voice and so your presence here means a lot.’”

Bishop Daniel Felton, Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Bishop Chad Zielinski, Bishop Robert Barron, and St. Paul Archbishop Bernard Hebda were the other Minnesota Catholic leaders who participated. 

Neary met with legislators for the first time in his new role, and it was also his inaugural gathering with the rest of the Minnesota bishops, according to Minnesota Catholic Conference. 

Neary met with Diocese of St. Cloud legislators Rep. Mike Weiner, Rep. Ron Kresha, Rep. Bernie Perryman, and Rep. Tom Murphy to discuss child tax credits, transgender issues, gambling restrictions, social media algorithms and marijuana legalization, the group said in its statement.

Before Neary became St. Cloud’s bishop, he had worked as a missionary priest in Chile, Kenya and Uganda, held leadership positions in the Congregation of Holy Cross, and filled pastoral assignments in the U.S. 

He assumed his current duties in December, when Pope Francis named him to the post. He was installed in February.

“[The bishops] are so warm and welcoming," Neary said in a Central Minnesota Catholic report. "I’m just getting to know them, but I feel really welcome and happy. I have so much to learn, and they’re just a fount of wisdom."

The Minnesota Catholic Conference is a Catholic advocacy network in the state.