{"id":16232,"date":"2020-11-28T17:17:42","date_gmt":"2020-11-28T22:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/?p=16232"},"modified":"2020-11-28T17:17:42","modified_gmt":"2020-11-28T22:17:42","slug":"cardinal-gregorys-vision-protect-care-for-and-strengthen-the-flock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/cardinal-gregorys-vision-protect-care-for-and-strengthen-the-flock\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardinal Gregory\u2019s vision: protect, care for and strengthen the flock"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/etc\/designs\/vatican-news\/release\/library\/main\/images\/vatican-news-header-white.png\" alt=\"Vatican News\" \/>                                                                                                                                                  <\/p>\n<figure>                                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/content\/dam\/vaticannews\/agenzie\/images\/srv\/2020\/11\/28\/2020-11-28-concistoro-per-la-creazione-di-13-nuovi-cardinali\/1606579177697.JPG\/_jcr_content\/renditions\/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg\" alt=\"Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, receives the red hat from Pope Francis during the Consistory of 28 November 2020\" \/>                          Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, receives the red hat from Pope Francis during the Consistory of 28 November 2020                                               (Vatican Media)                                                <\/figure>\n<p>                                 CHURCH<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Papa.concistoro.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             consistory                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.paesi-e-luoghi.Nord-America.stati-uniti.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             United States                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Cardinali.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             cardinals                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Papa.papa-francesco.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             Pope Francis                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.cultura-e-societa.Cultura.intervista.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             interview                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>                   Cardinal Gregory\u2019s vision: protect, care for and strengthen the flock         On Saturday afternoon, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington DC became Cardinal Wilton Gregory. At that moment, he also became the first African-American Cardinal.                                <\/p>\n<p>By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with Vatican News shortly after knowing of his appointment by Pope Francis to the College of Cardinals, the future Cardinal spoke about how he has been shaped by a \u201cwonderful legacy of faith\u201d. And rather than drawing attention to himself as the first African-American Cardinal, he pointed to his ethnic forebears who are up for canonization. In that interview, Cardinal-elect Gregory said \u201cWe&#039;ve produced holy, generous, zealous Catholics from our cultural and racial tradition. And I hope they get more attention in many respects than I do because their contribution to the life of the church is already a proven treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What he foresees will change<\/h2>\n<p>What was then still a possibility has now become a reality. Archbishop Wilton Gregory is now Cardinal Wilton Gregory. In a consistory that lasted just under an hour, attended by roughly 100 members of the faithful in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, he joined the ranks of 229 other men who are among the Pope\u2019s closest advisors, 128 of whom have the capacity to elect a future Pope.<\/p>\n<p>Cardinal Gregory told Vatican News that his being a Cardinal will not affect his ministry as Archbishop of Washington, DC. His daily life will still be filled with meetings, and visiting parishes, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile I will be a member of the College of Cardinals, when I&#039;m in Washington and engaged in my pastoral service, I will be the Archbishop of Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>True to form, he instead hopes that what will change is the intensity of \u201cthe affection and the devotion of the people of the Archdiocese of Washington for Pope Francis and his Petrine Ministry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>           Listen to the interview with Cardinal Wilton Gregory      <audio src=\"https:\/\/media.vaticannews.va\/media\/audio\/s1\/2020\/11\/27\/12\/135804240_F135804240.mp3\"><\/audio>     <\/p>\n<h2>Called to put God\u2019s precious people first<\/h2>\n<p>In response to the report released on his predecessor, former Cardinal McCarrick, Cardinal Gregory wrote that every priest on their ordination &quot;promised our heavenly Father that they would always put his precious people first&quot;.<\/p>\n<p>                             Read also                      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/church\/news\/2020-10\/cardinal-elect-wilton-gregory-washington-interview-legacy-faith.html\" target=\"_blank\">       <\/p>\n<figure>                                                                     <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/content\/dam\/vaticannews\/agenzie\/images\/reuters\/2020\/10\/25\/16\/1603639140779.JPG\/_jcr_content\/renditions\/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.250.141.jpeg\" alt=\"Cardinal-elect Gregory: a pastor shaped by a \u201cwonderful legacy of faith&quot;\" \/>               <\/figure>\n<p><\/a>             31\/10\/2020                   <\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/church\/news\/2020-10\/cardinal-elect-wilton-gregory-washington-interview-legacy-faith.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cardinal-elect Gregory: a pastor shaped by a \u201cwonderful legacy of faith&quot;<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>When questioned about this vision of a priest, the Cardinal said he used this expression as a reminder to \u201cthe people, my priests, and most importantly myself.\u201d Cardinal Gregory specified further that he did not have priests in general on his mind in writing those words. \u201cI was writing about the priest that is Wilton Gregory as well\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy relationship to the flock entrusted to me has to be the first responsibility that I have as a priest, as an ordained minister, and protecting them, and caring for them, and strengthening them.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Inspired by those who help him fulfill his ministry<\/h2>\n<p>When asked to whom he turns for inspiration in carrying out his ministry, Cardinal Gregory\u2019s response was surprising. After mentioning his spiritual director, he then began to list all of the people who collaborate with him in carrying out his ministry: his brother priests and bishops, deacons, women religious and lay ministers.<\/p>\n<p>Of his fellow clergy, he said he has been \u201cvery inspired by the level of devotion and the genuine goodness and zeal\u2026. I have found them to be men of great integrity and great dedication to the mission of the Church.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even during the unforeseen and unprecedented period in which Covid restrictions has posed limitations in ministry, the Cardinal said \u201cthe priests, and the deacons, and the religious of the Archdiocese who share with me the pastoral care of our people \u2013 they&#039;ve inspired me with their creativity. They&#039;ve tried things, they&#039;ve engaged their people.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Inspired by creativity<\/h2>\n<p>Some of them have acknowledged that this period has proved \u201ctrying\u201d, Cardinal Gregory continued. In the absence of prior experience under similar conditions and without a \u201cplaybook\u201d, nevertheless, he said that \u201cthe priests and deacons, the women religious, the lay ministers, the folks at the Pastoral Center have been very creative in trying to fulfill their responsibilities to that local church as best they can under the circumstances that we&#039; re all living with.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The care with which the Cardinal kept enumerating each category of persons who surround him in his ministry was obvious. In a follow-up question regarding whether these people are his heroes, he responded:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat&#039;s exactly accurate. They are the folks that animate me, that give me the \u2018push\u2019 to get up in the morning and to go about my work with great enthusiasm and zeal and hope.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>                        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.comunicazione.va\/en\/sostienici.html\" target=\"_blank\">                 <\/p>\n<figure>                                                                                                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/etc\/designs\/vatican-news\/release\/library\/main\/images\/support-comunicazione-banner.png\" alt=\"Your contribution for a great mission:support us in bringing the Pope&#039;s words into every home\" \/>                                       <\/figure>\n<p>                 Your contribution for a great mission:<br \/>support us in bringing the Pope&#039;s words into every home             <\/a>                           Topics         <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Papa.concistoro.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             consistory                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.paesi-e-luoghi.Nord-America.stati-uniti.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             United States                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Cardinali.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             cardinals                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Papa.papa-francesco.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             Pope Francis                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.cultura-e-societa.Cultura.intervista.html\" target=\"_blank\">                             interview                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>                                                28 November 2020, 17:00             <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                              Send                      <\/li>\n<li>             <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/church\/news\/2020-11\/cardinal-gregory-washington-consistory-interview.print.html\" target=\"_blank\">                 Print             <\/a>         <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, receives the red hat from Pope Francis during the Consistory of 28 November 2020 (Vatican Media) CHURCH consistory United States cardinals Pope Francis interview Cardinal Gregory\u2019s vision: protect, care for and strengthen the flock On Saturday afternoon, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington DC became Cardinal Wilton Gregory. At that moment, he also became the first African-American Cardinal. By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp<br \/>\n In an interview with Vatican News shortly after knowing of his appointment by Pope Francis to the College of Cardinals, the future Cardinal spoke about how he has been shaped by a \u201cwonderful legacy of faith\u201d. And rather than drawing attention to himself as the first African-American Cardinal, he pointed to his ethnic forebears who are up for canonization. In that interview, Cardinal-elect Gregory said \u201cWe&#039;ve produced holy, generous, zealous Catholics from our cultural and racial tradition. And I hope they..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Cardinal Gregory\u2019s vision: protect, care for and strengthen the flock - WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/cardinal-gregorys-vision-protect-care-for-and-strengthen-the-flock\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cardinal Gregory\u2019s vision: protect, care for and strengthen the flock - WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, receives the red hat from Pope Francis during the Consistory of 28 November 2020 (Vatican Media) CHURCH consistory United States cardinals Pope Francis interview Cardinal Gregory\u2019s vision: protect, care for and strengthen the flock On Saturday afternoon, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington DC became Cardinal Wilton Gregory. At that moment, he also became the first African-American Cardinal. By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp In an interview with Vatican News shortly after knowing of his appointment by Pope Francis to the College of Cardinals, the future Cardinal spoke about how he has been shaped by a \u201cwonderful legacy of faith\u201d. And rather than drawing attention to himself as the first African-American Cardinal, he pointed to his ethnic forebears who are up for canonization. In that interview, Cardinal-elect Gregory said \u201cWe&#039;ve produced holy, generous, zealous Catholics from our cultural and racial tradition. 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