Wilton D. Gregory

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Wilton D. Gregory

Wilton Daniel Gregory (born December 7, 1947) is a American prelate

Prelate

A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who either is an ordinary or ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from Latin pr?latus, the past participle of pr?ferre, literally, "carry before," or "to be set above, or over," or "to prefer," hence a prelate is one set over others....
of the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
. He currently serves as Archbishop of Atlanta, having previously served as Bishop of Belleville, Illinois from 1993 to 2004.

as born in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States, as well as the List of United States cities by population city in the United States with more than 2.8 million residents....
to Wilton and Ethel (née Duncan) Gregory. Attending Catholic school

Catholic school

Catholic schools are education ministries of the Roman Catholic Church. Presently, the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system....
s in Chicago

Chicago

Priesthood (Catholic Church)

The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of Bishop and Presbyterium, which in Latin language is sacerdos. The Holy Orders priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
before he converted to Catholicism

Roman Catholic Church

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Wilton D. Gregory'

Start a new discussion about 'Wilton D. Gregory'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

Wilton Daniel Gregory (born December 7, 1947) is a American prelate

Prelate

Roman Catholic Church

Early Life and ministry

He was born in Chicago

Chicago

Catholic school

Catholic schools are education ministries of the Roman Catholic Church. Presently, the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system....
s in Chicago

Chicago

Priesthood (Catholic Church)

Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
, which he did at age 11. He studied at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary

Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary

Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was a United States high school administered by the Roman Catholic Church Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood....
, Niles College

Saint Joseph College Seminary

Saint Joseph College Seminary is a college of Loyola University Chicago and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.Saint Joseph College Seminary, formerly Niles College Seminary at Loyola University, is the minor seminary for the Archdiocese of Chicago....
, and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary before being ordained

Holy Orders

Historically, the word "order" designated an established civil body or corporation with a hierarchy, and :wikt:ordinatio meant legal incorporation into an ordo....
as a priest

Priesthood (Catholic Church)

John Cardinal Cody

John Patrick Cardinal Cody was an American cardinal who served as the eleventh bishop and sixth archbishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Chicago, from 1965 to 1982....
.

After receiving a doctorate

Doctorate

A doctorate is an academic degree that in most countries represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. In some countries it also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession ....
in Sacred Liturgy

Christian liturgy

A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Christian congregation or Christian denomination on a regular basis....
in 1980 from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute

Pontifical Liturgical Institute

The Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome, located at Sant'Anselmo on the Aventine Hill, promotes the study of the Christian liturgy. It is entrusted to the Benedictine Confederation, and has the role of training professors of liturgy and liturgical experts to promote the liturgy in the various parts of the world....
in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
, Gregory did pastoral

Parish (Catholic Church)

In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish....
work in Glenview

Glenview, Cook County, Illinois

Glenview is a suburban village located approximately 18 mi north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, Illinois. As of the United States Census, 2000, the village population was 41,847....
at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, taught at Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary, and served as a Master of Ceremonies

Master of Ceremonies

A Master or Mistress of Ceremonies or MC , sometimes called a comp?re or an MJ for "microphone jockey," is the Host of an official public or private staged event or other performance....
under Cardinals Cody and Bernardin

Joseph Cardinal Bernardin

Joseph Louis Cardinal Bernardin was an United States prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago from 1982 until his death, and was elevated to the Cardinal in 1983....
. On October 31, 1983 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop

Auxiliary bishop

An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional Bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office requiring the diocesan bishop's protracted p...
of Chicago and Titular Bishop

Titular bishop

A titular bishop is a Bishop of the Catholic Church who is not in charge of a diocese . Examples of bishops belonging to this category are coadjutor bishops, auxiliary bishops, bishops emeritus, vicar apostolic, nuncios, superiors of departments in the Roman Curia, and Cardinal Bishops of suburbicarian dioceses ....
of Oliva. Gregory received his episcopal consecration

Bishop (Catholic Church)

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an Holy Orders Minister who holds the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the faith and ruling the church....
on the following December 13 from Cardinal Bernardin, with Bishops Alfred Abramowicz and Nevin Hayes, O. Carm, serving as co-consecrators

Consecrator

Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities....
.

Bishop of Bellville

Gregory remained in Chicago until December 29, 1993, when he was appointed the seventh Bishop of Belleville; he was installed on February 10, 1994.

From 2001 to 2004, Gregory served as the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the official leadership body of the Roman Catholicism in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the United States....
, the first African American ever to head an episcopal conference, having previously served as Vice President and also Chairman of several committees. During his presidency, the American bishops issued the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" in response to sexual abuse cases

Roman Catholic sex abuse cases

Allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against a variety of religious groups including but not exclusively Roman Catholic priests, monks, and nuns....
. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America

As of September 2008, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of:*Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus of the Knights of Columbus...
at The Catholic University of America

The Catholic University of America

The Catholic University of America , located in Northeast Washington, D.C., is the national university of the Roman Catholic Church and the only higher education institution founded by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops....
. On April 25, 2002, in recognition of his handling of the sex abuse scandal

Roman Catholic sex abuse cases

Allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against a variety of religious groups including but not exclusively Roman Catholic priests, monks, and nuns....
, he was chosen as Time's Person of the Week.

Archbishop of Atlanta

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II John Paul II is widely acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century. He has been Pope_John_Paul_II#Role_in_the_fall_of_Communism in bringing down communism in Eastern Europe, as well as significantly improving the Roman Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and A...
, in one of his last episcopal appointments before his death, named Bishop Gregory the seventh Archbishop of Atlanta on December 9 2004, and his installation took place on January 17, 2005.

Before deciding to elevate Archbishop Daniel DiNardo

Daniel DiNardo

Daniel Nicholas DiNardo is an United States Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the second and current Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, having previously served as Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City from 1998 to 2004....
of Houston to the Sacred College of Cardinals in 2007, Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI is the List of popes and reigning Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and, as such, monarch of the Vatican City....
had reportedly considered Archbishop Gregory for that honor. If he eventually receives the red hat

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior Ecclesiology official, usually a Bishop , of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope....
in a future consistory, he will become the first African-American prelate (and first Archbishop of Atlanta) to do so.

In late October 2007 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. It occurs when cell s of the prostate Mutation and begin to multiply out of control....
, and had surgery in November of that same year.

He writes a bi-weekly column for the Georgia Bulletin titled "What I have Seen and Heard" .

Recognition

He has been awarded honorary doctorates of humane letters

Doctor of Humane Letters

The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science , government , literature or religion ....
from Spring Hill College

Spring Hill College

Spring Hill College is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic Church Society of Jesus college in the United States. It was founded in 1830 on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, by Michael Portier, Archbishop of Mobile, Alabama....
in Mobile

Mobile, Alabama

Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern United States United States state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama....
, Xavier University

Xavier University (Cincinnati)

Xavier University is a Private school, Jesuit, co-educational university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ohio. Today, Xavier University is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities....
in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County, Ohio. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border....
, and McKendree University in Lebanon

Lebanon, Illinois

Lebanon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,523 at the 2000 census. Like many other places in "Little Egypt " or Southern Illinois, Lebanon was named after the Middle Eastern country of the same name....
, and doctorates in humanities

Humanities

The humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural science and social sciences....
from Lewis University

Lewis University

Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university located in Romeoville, Illinois, United States . The enrollment is currently around 5,200 students....
in Romeoville

Romeoville, Illinois

Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,153 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the population has grown to 36,837....
and Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, Missouri. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Du Bourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River....
in St. Louis

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri, located near the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Missouri River. St....
.

Footnotes

External links

biography of Wilton Gregory
biography of Wilton Gregory