Pro-life Texas Catholic to head National Review Board
February 16, 2011
Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York has announced that Al Notzon III, who served as executive director of the Alamo Area Council of Governments from 1971 to 2007, has been named chairman of the National Review Board. The board is a consultative body established in 2002 that collaborates with the US bishops in their efforts to address clerical sexual abuse.
Upon Notzon’s retirement from the Alamo Area Council of Governments, Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio was principal celebrant at a special Mass in the cathedral. Three years later, when Archbishop Gomez departed from San Antonio to become coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles, Mr. Notzon publicly presented a spiritual bouquet at Archbishop Gomez’s farewell Mass.
In 2006, the Wilson County News reported:
A native of Laredo, Notzon received a bachelor’s degree in economics and international relations from St. Mary’s University and has done graduate work in economics, law, and urban planning.
He has served the community as a board member of numerous organizations, including president of the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association, the Texas and National Associations of Regional Councils, the Texas Conference of Churches, the Texas Catholic Conference, the San Antonio River Corridor Committee, and Target 90/Goals for San Antonio; as vice chairman of the St. Mary’s University Board; and as chairman of the San Antonio Area Foundation.
Currently, Notzon is a member of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, the Executive Committee of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council, the Governing Board of the San Antonio Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Board of the Austin San Antonio Intermunicipal Commuter Rail District, and the Joint Commission on Aging. He is also treasurer of the Texas Leadership Institute Board of Directors, chairman of the Archdiocesan Review Board, and chairman of the South Texas Business Fund.
In 1999, Notzon donated $50 to the presidential campaign of Alan Keyes; in 2009, Notzon was described in the media as a “pro-life supporter.”
Notzon succeeds Diane Knight, an Obama supporter and retired executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, whose term as chair began in 2009 and expires in June. “I wish to acknowledge the excellent and collaborative manner by which you have guided the work of the NRB and related that to the Committee on the Protection of Children and Youth and to the bishops as a whole,” Archbishop Dolan said of Knight.
Previous chairmen of the National Review Board include former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating (2002-3), who resigned after he compared US bishops to the Mafia; Nicholas Cafardi (2004-5), dean of the Duquesne University Law School; Patricia O’Donnell Ewers (2005-7), former president of Pace University; and Judge Michael Merz (2007-9). Illinois Justice Anne Burke served as interim chair after the resignation of Governor Keating.
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Further information:
- San Antonio Executive Al Notzon Appointed Next Chair of the National Review Board (USCCB)
- National Review Board (USCCB)
- Perry attends pro-life rally in Austin (KHOU-TV)
- Al Notzon ends 39-year career with AACOG (Wilson County News)
- New chair of US bishops' National Review Board is Obama donor (CWN, 1/12/09)
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