Cardinal Wilton Gregory made Catholic education a focal point of his ministry after he was installed as the archbishop of Washington in 2019. Throughout his tenure, he visited numerous schools and universities, emphasizing faith formation, community, and the role Catholic education plays in shaping the future.
He has often spoken about his experience in Catholic schools, saying, “Catholic education provided me with the foundation for my priestly vocation, and it continues to shape the lives of young people today.”
While attending St. Carthage School in his native Chicago as a sixth grader in 1958, Wilton Gregory was inspired to become Catholic and eventually to become a priest, inspired by the faith and service of the parish priests and Adrian Dominican sisters there.
Through Masses, classroom visits, and special events in The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, Cardinal Gregory has reinforced the Church’s commitment to nurturing young minds and spirits.
During his visits to Catholic schools, Cardinal Gregory engaged with students, encouraging them to embrace their faith and recognize their potential.
At Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland, he received a handmade bracelet inscribed with “trust” from a student, representing the school’s chosen value for the 2024-25 academic year.
Each year, the school selects one of the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools’ core values –simplicity, humility, compassion, zeal, and trust – as a guiding principle.
Before the Mass, senior Izzy Magyar reflected on the importance of faith and community. “Our diversity is our strength, and to come together at Mass is our greatest opportunity to give thanks and grow together as a community,” she said.
She noted that the bracelets serve as a reminder of trust within their school. “We are better together, and the only way we will build our community and grow in our faith is to lean into one another, trusting and faithful,” she said.
During his homily, Cardinal Gregory reinforced this theme: “Trust allows us to build relationships, to grow in faith, and to truly embrace the mission of Catholic education.”
At Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Cardinal Gregory told students during Mass, “Jesus chooses us, not because we are brilliant or handsome or knowledgeable, but because he looks inside the hearts of each and every one of us and says there’s something great inside you –let it out to play.”
At Sacred Heart School in Washington, a bilingual institution, Cardinal Gregory emphasized the inherent dignity of each person. Since Sacred Heart integrates both English and Spanish in its curriculum and liturgies, the Mass included prayers and hymns in both languages, with responses projected on a screen for the congregation.
He began the liturgy with the sign of the cross in Spanish: “En el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo.” During his homily, he reinforced the message of unity and respect. “What [Jesus] told them and what He told us is still true, that we are God’s sons and daughters, and that means we have to care for one another and respect one another, and love one another as brothers and sisters,” he said.
Cardinal Gregory has been present for milestone celebrations across the archdiocese’s schools. At St. John’s School in Hollywood, Maryland, he celebrated the institution’s 100th anniversary in 2023, reflecting on its legacy. “Turning 100 years old might be a great feat for a person, but for a fine school, it’s only the beginning,” he said.
Similarly, at Father Andrew White, S.J. School in Leonardtown, he marked the school’s 70th anniversary in 2024, recognizing its decades of faith and education. “For 70 years, the Word of the Lord, the sacraments of the Church, and trust in Our Lady have been celebrated here,” he told students and faculty.
During a visit to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Maryland, he praised the school’s Corporate Work Study Program, which provides low-income students with professional experience while helping finance their education. Since opening in 2007, the school has guided its graduates to higher education, with many being the first in their families to attend college.
On the feast of St. John Bosco, Cardinal Gregory encouraged students, saying, “John Bosco had this principle: Everyone is called to be a saint. Young ones, priests, religious, those who work with young people, and of course, young people themselves, all of whom are loved by God.”
At a special Mass in May 2024 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Takoma Park, Cardinal Gregory administered the sacraments of initiation to 18 students from Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School and a student from Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, welcoming them as full members of the Catholic Church. “The sacraments are an outward sign of God’s grace and presence in our lives,” he told them. “Your faith will continue to guide you, not just through your education but in all aspects of your life.”
Beyond spiritual guidance, Cardinal Gregory has emphasized the importance of innovation in education. At Bishop McNamara High School in 2023, he blessed the La Reine Science and Innovation Center, underscoring the intersection of faith and knowledge. “We bless and dedicate the La Reine Science and Innovation Center to the education of youth, to the progress of the sciences, and to learning,” he said.
At Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington in 2020, he attended the unveiling of the Jim Vance Media Center, named after the late Washington television journalist, to support the next generation of communicators.
Cardinal Gregory has also visited universities to engage young adults in their faith. At the University of Maryland’s Catholic Student Center in College Park, he spoke about the need for healing in today’s world. “The Gospels are not merely stories about other people’s illnesses –above all, the Gospels are accounts of Jesus’s ability and desire to heal all of us from every sickness,” he said during Mass.
At Howard University in Washington, he blessed the new Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Student Center, a space dedicated to fostering Black Catholic identity and spiritual growth. “What a wonderful thing we do today to set aside this place as another house for God,” he said.
At The Catholic University of America, he addressed students on faith, climate change, and social issues. During a talk on environmental stewardship, he said, “We live in a changing climate, and we have a moral obligation to respond thoughtfully and respectfully as Christ Himself would.”
At a CUA on Tap gathering at Catholic University, he urged students to confidently live out their faith. “Don’t be embarrassed because you’re a Catholic, be proud that you’re a Catholic,” he said.
Throughout his visits, Cardinal Gregory has encouraged students to embrace their potential and trust in God’s plan. Speaking to students at San Miguel School in Washington, he highlighted their bright futures: “Right here in this school, there are the wonderful possibilities and the opportunities to be successful, to be real winners, to be young men with great futures and with great possibilities.”
Pope Francis on Jan. 6, 2025 announced that he had accepted the resignation of Cardinal Gregory as the archbishop of Washington, which by Church law he had been required to submit when he turned 75 on Dec. 7, 2022. Also on Jan. 6, Pope Francis named Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego as the new archbishop of Washington, and he will be installed in that role on March 11 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
As Cardinal Gregory is stepping away from his role as archbishop, his legacy in Catholic education stands as a testament to his dedication to faith-based learning. Through his visits to schools and universities, he fostered a spirit of faith, academic excellence, and community, ensuring that Catholic education remains a cornerstone of the Church’s mission in The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
During a Mass for Catholic schools in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, Cardinal Gregory reflected on the lasting impact of Catholic education, saying, “Catholic schools are where we learn to love God and love one another.”
