Wilton Gregory to DC: Text of Vatican announcement

Leader of Catholics in Atlanta and north Georgia was named as the next archbishop in Washington, D.C.

Pope Francis has named Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory as the new archbishop of Washington. Gregory has served as archbishop in Atlanta since 2005. Archbishop-designate Gregory will succeed Cardinal Donald Wuerl. Cardinal Donald Wuerl served from June 2006 to October 2018. Gregory is a native of Chicago and the only living African American archbishop.

Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory has been named the next archbishop for the Catholic archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Here is the text of the annoucement on Thursday from the Vatican web site.

Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Washington, U.S.A.

“The Holy Father Francis has appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Washington, United States of America, H.E. Msgr. Wilton D. Gregory, previously metropolitan archbishop of Atlanta, United States of America.

“The archbishop-elect was born on 7 December 1947 in Chicago, Illinois, in the archdiocese of the same name, was ordained a priest on 9 May 1973 for the archdiocese of Chicago. He studied philosophy at Niles College and theology at Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, and holds a doctorate in liturgy from the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm in Rome (1980).

“Since ordination, he has held the following positions: parish vicar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish at Glenview; student in Rome (1976-1979); professor of liturgy at the Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, member of the archdiocesan Office for the Liturgy and master of ceremonies for Cardinals Cody and Bernardin (1980-1983).

“He was appointed titular bishop of Oliva and auxiliary of Chicago on 18 October 1983, and was consecrated the following 13 December. He was transferred to Belleville, Illinois, on 29 December 1993 and took possession of the see on 10 February 1994. He was appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia, on 9 December 2004, and took office on 17 January 2005.

“Within the US Episcopal Conference, he has served as president (2001-2004), vice-president (1998-2001), member of the Executive and Administrative Committees, of the Committee on Doctrine, of the Committee on International Policy, Chair of the Committee on Personnel, of the Committee on the Third Millennium / Jubilee Year 2000 (1998-2001) and the Committee on Liturgy (1991-1993). He is currently chair of the Committee on Divine Worship.” (End of Vatican announcement text)

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