Wilton Gregory likely new DC archbishop; would be 1st African-American to lead DC church: report

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Pope Francis is expected to name a new archbishop to lead the Catholic archdiocese in the nation’s capital.

According to an online report by the Catholic News Agency, Francis will appoint Archbishop Wilton Gregory to lead the archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Gregory currently leads the archdiocese of Atlanta.

D.C. has technically been without an archbishop since last year’s October resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl in light of the ongoing Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. Wuerl, however, remained in place serving an interim role since that time.

Gregory, who is 71-years-old, could carry on past the normal retirement age for bishops, the CAN says. He would also be the first African-American Archbishop of Washington, D.C.

FOX 5 reached out to the Archdiocese of Washington who released the following statement: “We are awaiting an announcement from the Holy See and will have no further comment.”