UPDATE 4/4/2019 6 a.m.: 聽VATICAN CITY (AP) _ Pope Francis has named Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory as the new archbishop of Washington D.C., choosing a moderate, and the first African-American, to lead the archdiocese that has become the epicenter of the clergy sex abuse crisis in the U.S.
The 71-year-old Gregory replaces Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who resigned last year after being implicated in covering up abuse by a Pennsylvania grand jury report.
Gregory headed the U.S. bishops conference when it adopted a “zero-tolerance” abuse policy in 2002 to respond to the first wave of the scandal. He has run the Atlanta archdiocese since 2005 and is seen as a pastor very much in line with Francis’ progressive vision of the church.
The Vatican on Thursday announced the appointment, which was first reported by Catholic 草莓传媒 Agency.
EARLIER at 4:39 p.m. 4/3/2019
Washington is getting a new archbishop: Wilton Gregory, the current archbishop of Atlanta, is expected to be named to the position Thursday morning, multiple sources have confirmed to 草莓传媒.
Pope Francis is expected to announce Gregory as the new archbishop of Washington at 6 a.m. EDT, noon at the Vatican.聽The announcement will be posted on the Vatican’s website in Italian.
There have been reports that Gregory is already in the area for the installation ceremony.
The ceremony will be held by Apostolic Administrator Donald Wuerl.
The 71-year-old Gregory succeeds Wuerl as archbishop of Washington, after Wuerl stepped down from the position amid calls to resign due to his handling of sex abuse allegations when he was a bishop in Pennsylvania. Pope Francis accepted Wuerl’s resignation as cardinal in October 2018.
Gregory would become the seventh archbishop of Washington and the first African-American to lead the Archdiocese of Washington.
Once the Archdiocese of Washington sends out the official announcement, the church will begin planning a liturgical ceremony.
In the installation, Wuerl will pass the shepherd’s staff over to the new shepherd, Gregory.
