Paul Stagg Coakley

Paul Stagg Coakley (born June 3, 1955) is an American Catholic prelate who serves as Archbishop of Oklahoma City. He has been President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops since November 2025. He previously served as Bishop of Salina from 2004 to 2010.

Early life and education Coakley was born on June 3, 1955, in Norfolk, Virginia, to John and Mary Coakley. His mother was of French descent, and his father of Irish descent. Paul Coakley has an older brother, John, and a younger sister, Mary Christina. At age 2, he and his family moved to Metairie, Louisiana, where Coakley attended St. Mary Magdalen School from 1960 to 1965. He studied at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, earning a Master of Divinity in 1983.

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Coakley sat on the Subcommittee on Home Missions; Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; and Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis. He is also a fourth degree Knight of Columbus, and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. In August 2018, Coakley responded to Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò's letter describing a series of warnings to the Vatican regarding sexual misconduct by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Coakley professed to having "the deepest respect for Archbishop Viganó and his personal integrity" and called for an investigation and a "purification" of the Church.

On November 15, 2022, Coakley was elected secretary of the USCCB, the third-highest position in the conference. He defeated Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin in a vote of 130–104, and succeeded Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who had been elected president.

On November 11, 2025, Coakley was elected to succeed Broglio for a three-year term as president of the USCCB. After three rounds of voting, he defeated Bishop Daniel E. Flores in a vote of 128–109; Flores was subsequently elected vice president. Coakley had been viewed as a leading conservative contender for the presidency, as outgoing vice president William E. Lori was ineligible due to his age. succeeding Bishop Gerald Kicanas. The international relief and humanitarian agency of the US Catholic Church, CRS operates in about 91 countries, and the board stewards a budget of over $700 million. Coakley had been on the board since 2012, and at the time of his appointment, the agency was in the midst of responding to the impact of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Coakley described himself as "humbled" and "honored" to chair the 70-year-old organization.

In his first months as chair, Archbishop Coakley undertook visits to Palestine and the Philippines to observe the agency's programs and meet with local staff and beneficiaries.

Viewpoints Coakley has been described as having socially conservative views by the Associated Press.

Abortion During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Coakley declared, "To vote for a candidate who supports an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or genocide, would require a proportionately grave moral reason for ignoring such a flaw." Coakley later stated that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Joe Biden "misrepresented Catholic teaching on abortion" in their respective interviews on the TV program Meet the Press.

Calling the victory of President Barack Obama in 2008 an "undeniable irony," Coakley said that the election of the first African-American president "signals that our nation has crossed a threshold in the struggle for civil rights". However, Coakley noted what he termed Obama's "denial of civil rights and legal protection to a whole class of persons as well, unborn human beings."

In March 2009, Coakley described Obama's reversal of the Mexico City Policy and the nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services as "serious assaults against the rights of conscience and our efforts to protect innocent human life."

Capital punishment In September 2023, Coakley condemned the execution of Anthony Sanchez that same month by the State of Oklahoma. Sanchez had raped and murdered a 21-year-old University of Oklahoma student in 1996. Coakley remarked"Today the state of Oklahoma has once again delivered what it deems 'justice' with the execution of Anthony Sanchez. No matter how heinous a crime a person commits, they do not forfeit their human dignity bestowed upon them by God, the author of life."

LGBTQ+ In 2023, Coakley expressed his approval of Governor Kevin Stitt signing a bill that prohibited hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery for children under age 18 in Oklahoma. Coakley wrote,"It is always heart-wrenching to see a child in pain. There aren't quick fixes to gender dysphoria, but through unconditional love, patience, and humility, families can navigate these tough topics." He added that "the majority of undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma are upstanding members of our communities and churches, not violent criminals." stated,

"We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials. In this dialogue, we will continue to advocate for meaningful immigration reform."

War in Iran In April 2026, Coakley expressed his opposition to the United States' war in Iran, issuing a statement in which he called on President Trump to "step back from the precipice of war and negotiate a just settlement for the sake of peace and before more lives are lost."