Pope Francis Appoints First African-American Cardinal
Pope Francis just named 13 new cardinals on Sunday, with one of them being Washington DC archbishop Wilton Gregory, who will be the first African American cardinal.
Archbishop Gregory is the only Black archbishop in the United States. He is celebrated for his work in guiding the Catholic Church through its clergy sexual abuse crisis back in 2000.
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“With a very grateful and humble heart, I thank Pope Francis for this appointment which will allow me to work more closely with him in caring for Christ’s Church,” Gregory said in a statement.
Francis said the new selection of cardinals have all shown dedication to “the missionary vocation of the Church that continues to proclaim the merciful love of God to all men and women of the earth.”
The new selections will expand the College of Cardinal’s from 120 to 128 electors, all from 68 countries.
Earlier this year, Gregory blasted Donald Trump and Melania Trump for using s visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., as a photo op.
“I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree,” he said at the time.