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  The bishops also agreed to launch a multiyear initiative that would aim to strengthen marriage by, among other projects, raising awareness about church teaching on the importance of the sacrament and provide resources for church programs on preventing divorce.

The votes came as the bishops' worked to wrap up business at their fall meeting, which ends Thursday.

The alliance, called Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A., is set to kick off next year. It would also include mainline Protestants, Orthodox Christians, and black and other minority churches. With about 67 million members the U.S. Catholic Church would be the largest denomination.

"It's not to create some kind of megabody or megachurch," said Bishop Stephen Blaire, chairman of the ecumenical committee for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "It is a forum for participation so that we can pray together, grow in our understanding together and witness together our faith."

It is considered a biblical imperative for Christians to find ways to build unity among their denominations. Pope John Paul II has made such efforts a priority of his pontificate.

The bishops approved the proposal 151-73. Blaire, of Stockton, Calif., called Wednesday's vote "important and historic."

The Catholic Church has ecumenical dialogues with many denominations. However, some evangelical and Pentecostal churches have resisted participating. In the floor debate Wednesday, New York Cardinal Edward Egan noted those churches were worried that such talks risked "watering down their faith."

In fact, the evangelical Southern Baptist Convention, which has more than 16 million members and is the largest Protestant denomination in the country, has so far not agreed to fully join Christian Churches Together.

Blaire said that among the evangelicals who have agreed to participate are the Salvation Army and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church.

On the abuse issue, the bishops voted for a third round of audits next year and authorized the collection of data from every diocese on new abuse claims, the resolution of cases and related costs.

This year's audit results are due to be released in February. Archbishop Harry Flynn, chairman of the bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Sex Abuse, said auditors so far have found that most dioceses are in compliance with reform efforts.

However, he said some dioceses still have failed to conduct background checks on clergy and diocesan workers, and to enact programs meant to teach staff to identify abuse and help prevent it. He did not say which dioceses were out of compliance.

"This lack of progress in these dioceses and eparchies is a matter of serious concern for all of us," Flynn said. "It's necessary for all of us to maintain our vigilance."

The audits are part of the sweeping reforms bishops adopted in June 2002 at the height of the abuse crisis. That policy is now undergoing review.

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