RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members of this Chamber are pleased to congratulate His Eminence Wilton Daniel Gregory on becoming the first African American cardinal in the history of Catholicism following his elevation to the rank of Cardinal Priest by Pope Francis on November 28, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Gregory was born on December 7, 1947 in Chicago to Wilton Sr. and Ethel Duncan Gregory. One of three children, he has two sisters: Elaine and Claudia; and
WHEREAS, In 1958, as a student at St. Carthage Grammar School, Cardinal Gregory decided he wanted to become a priest even though he was not a Catholic. He was baptized and received his First Communion in 1959 and was confirmed later that year; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from St. Carthage in 1961, Cardinal Gregory attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, a seminary high school, Niles College of Loyola University, and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Gregory was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 9, 1973, and three years after his ordination he began graduate studies at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome, where he earned his Doctorate of Sacred Liturgy in 1980; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Gregory swiftly ascended in the Catholic leadership. After having served as an associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview, as a member of the faculty of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, and as a master of ceremonies to Cardinals John Cody and Joseph Bernardin, he was ordained as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago on December 13, 1983, and installed as bishop of Belleville, Illinois on February 10, 1994; and
WHEREAS, As bishop, Cardinal Gregory took an active leadership role in the life ofthe Roman Catholic Church in America. After three years as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, he was elected the first African American president of the Conference in November 2001. He also served on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Executive and Administrative Committees, the Administrative Board, the Committee on Doctrine, and the U.S. Catholic Conference Committee on International Policy; and
WHEREAS, During his tenure as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the crisis ofthe sex abuse by Catholic clergy escalated; and under Cardinal Gregory's leadership, the bishops implemented the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People;" and
WHEREAS, Focused on improving the religious life of African American Catholics, Cardinal Gregory has published numerous articles on the subject of liturgy, particularly in the African American community. He has also written extensively on other church issues, including pastoral statements on the death penalty, social justice, and physician-assisted suicide; and
WHEREAS, In December 2004, Cardinal. Gregory was appointed Archbishop of Atlanta by Pope John Paul II, and he was installed on January 17, 2005; and
WHEREAS, In April 2019, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Gregory archbishop of Washington. He was installed the following month, becoming the first African American to hold the post; and
WHEREAS, In October 2020, Pope Francis named Cardinal Gregory one of thirteen new
cardinals from around the world; elevating him as the first African American to the Catholic Church's highest governing body, the College of Cardinals; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Gregory is the recipient of many well-deserved.honors, including induction into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College, the Cardinal Bernardin Award given by the Catholic Common Ground Initiative, and nine honorary doctoral degrees; and
WHEREAS, A dedicated spiritual father and leader, Cardinal Gregory deserves our admiration and respect for his outstanding service, leadership and many contributions to our great City and Nation; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this sixteenth day of December, 2020, do hereby congratulate His Eminence Wilton Daniel Gregory on his elevation to the rank of Cardinal Priest, and express our sincere appreciation to him for his inspiration and extraordinary life, service, and accomplishments; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Cardinal Gregory as a token of our esteem and good wishes.
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