In line with the pope’s concerns, due to historically marginalized Catholics, the rest will soon become cardinals men from Rwanda, Brunei, Chile and the Philippines.
Gregory, 72, who is already the highest-ranking African American Catholic in U.S. history, told CNN this week that he prayed, wrote homilies and letters to benefactors, and reflected on his new role.
“It was time to thank God for this unique moment in my life and in the life of the United States Church,” Gregory said. “I hope this is a sign to the African American community that the Catholic Church carries people, my colorful people, with great respect, reverence, and esteem.”
As cardinal, Gergely will be one of the pope’s closest advisers, and only about 120 men will elect the next pope. Before electing Francis Gregory as archbishop of Washington last year, he also served as bishop in Belleville, Illanta, and Atlanta. He was born in Chicago to parents who were not Catholics but converted to the Catholic faith while attending ward school.
Symbolism of Gregory’s election
When elevating Gregory to the highest rank in the Catholic Church, Francis continues to pay close attention to racial dynamics in the United States.
Francis condemned the “tragic death” of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minnesota last May, and supported an American bishop who knelt in prayer during the Black Life Material demonstration.
“You’ll never find people like that protesting against George Floyd’s death or joining a demonstration because there are shoddy cities where children have no water or education, or because whole families have lost their income,” Francis said in the book. called “Let’s Dream”
“They would never protest in such matters,” the pope continued. “They are incapable of stepping out of their own little interests.”
Anthea Butler, a religious scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, said Francis ’upbringing in Argentina, where he lived most of his life, gave way to a racial attitude in America.
“He is very aware of racial injustices and white superiority,” Butler said. “It doesn’t just notice what’s going on here and how things have escalated. You can’t live in Latin America and you can’t see the history of race and slavery.”
Butler, who is African American, said Gregory’s installation would have been in Rome if it hadn’t been for the pandemic.
“It’s huge for African American Catholics,” he said. “We’ve been waiting a long time for a cardinal, and that recognizes the sacrifices made by people of African descent in the Catholic Church.”
Gregory: “We haven’t seen the biggest pain”
The Catholic Church does not tell the bishops in advance that they will be promoted to cardinal, so Gregory heard the news from a friend on October 25, the day the pope announced from Rome.
And while it’s celebrating, Gregory’s rise comes just a few weeks after the Vatican released a condemnatory report on why he had ignored accusations of sexual harassment and serial behavior by former Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of Washington.
“It’s not about the structure of the church, it’s about the mistakes, the terribly bad judgments the church made when it didn’t focus on the people who were offended,” Gregory told CNN this week.
“We were so intent on caring for the cleric, priests, or bishops that we didn’t see that the greatest pain that could be endured was endured by injured people.”
While in Rome, Gregory said he had not seen or spoken to Pope Francis, who lives in the Vatican guest house where the soon-to-be cardinal was staying.
But on Saturday, Gregory’s quarantine ends. And the long wait of the black Americans for the cardinal is finally coming to an end.
