Community Corner
Former Atlanta Archbishop Named First African American Cardinal
Pope Francis named former Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory on Sunday, along with 12 others.
ATLANTA, GA — The Pope on Sunday named the former Archbishop of Atlanta the first African American cardinal.
Wilton D. Gregory is currently the Archbishop of the Washington, D.C. diocese, but served as the Archbishop of Atlanta until 2019.
On Sunday, Pope Francis named 13 new cardinals, including former Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory in a surprise address from his window overlooking St Peter's Square in Rome on Sunday, according to several reports.
Find out what's happening in Atlantafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The cardinals will be installed in a ceremony at the Vatican on Nov. 28.
Gregory has been an ordained priest since the age of 25. He became Washington's archbishop in May 2019.
Find out what's happening in Atlantafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In the US, Archbishop Gregory has publicly spoken out against abuse within the Church. As president of the US bishops' conference, he persuaded Church leaders to adopt tougher penalties for abusers in 2002, reported the BBC.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
