A New Cardinal and a Longtime Spiritual Father JA M E S M O R GA N ’ 2 2 , A R C H D I O C E S E O F WA S H I N GTO N
Seminarians of the Archdiocese of Washington pose for a photo with Wilton Cardinal Gregory C'80.
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ho wants to share some calamari?” These are some of the first words I remember hearing from Cardinal Wilton Gregory. I first met him when he came to Rome in spring 2018 before being installed as the new Archbishop of Washington. He started that visit by celebrating Mass for us and ended with a familial pranzo. His openness to sharing at the table mirrored his desire to share a spiritual meal with us around the Eucharistic table; these two desires came together in a way that expressed his spiritual fatherhood.
ordination of Bishop Bill Byrne (‘94) have led me to pause and reflect on my own call to spiritual fatherhood. During my seminary formation, these two cardinals have served as my ordinaries, and for a summer I was assigned to Bishop Byrne’s parish. My experiences with these three men have helped me realize that the spiritual fatherhood of the priest cannot be reduced to just one concept. The Holy Spirit calls forth this fatherhood uniquely in each man and in each circumstance. While I am very different than these three men, I am grateful to have been formed under each of them.
The elevation of Cardinal Gregory (C‘80), the retirement of Cardinal Donald Wuerl (‘67), and the episcopal
When I moved to Washington in 2014 to be a missionary in southeast D.C., I was surrounded by historic
African-American parishes. In fact, I am still a parishioner at Our Lady of the Assumption in southeast Washington. This community welcomed me like family and has been a huge support in my vocation. I shared in their joy as Cardinal Gregory was named the first African-American Archbishop of Washington and continue to share in that spirit of thanksgiving now that he has recently become the first African-American cardinal. I am thankful for this historic moment in the Church and recognize its significance for our country. I am also grateful that a man who is a true spiritual father has been recognized by the Church. n ROMAN ECHOES 2021 • VOLUME 25: ISSUE 2
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