The leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is going to serve as chairman of a key committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

U.S. Catholic bishops meeting in Baltimore elected Bishop Robert Deeley as chairman-elect of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance.

The committee assists bishops by interpreting law and providing direction in implementation of church law. Deeley begins his duties in the fall of 2017.

Deeley has served as bishop in Maine since 2014. The Massachusetts native was ordained to the priesthood in 1973 at Sacred Heart Parish in Watertown, Massachusetts. He previously served in positions including auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston.