Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Wilton Gregory, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Washington DC, and has appointed Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of San Diego, as his successor.
The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2025, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The Archdiocese of Washington has a total population of more than 3 million, with around 670,000 Catholics.
Cardinal Gregory was the first African-American cardinal. He was named to the national’s capital archdiocese in 2019. He was made a cardinal in 2020.
Cardinal McElroy, 70, has been the bishop of San Diego, California, since 2015. He was made a cardinal in 2022.
