Wilton Gregory, First African American Cardinal - His Claim To Fame

 As of today, Archbishop Wilton Gregory is now a cardinal.  As prince of the church, he will vote in the next papal enclave, if he hasn't attained the age of 80 years before then.  I realize it is an unpleasant thought, but it is what it is.

The latest issue of the Catholic Standard is devoted to this coronation, crowing about the new cardinal.  Of course they have to point out Gregory's race.  So much for putting race behind us!  In this issue appears an interview between Gregory and Mark Zimmerman, editor of the Standard.   The article indicates that the interview is about Gregory's race as much as his achievements.  When asked about the racial unrest and violence that plagued many Democrat-run cities this past summer, Gregory had this to say: Well first of all, I am sorry when those protests go violent or destructive, but I understand the frustration that energizes them.."  Please take note of two things:

1. Gregory did not condemn the violence directly as being inherently sinful, stating that the ends do not justify criminal means (the ends themselves, being Marxist-engineered, are debatable themselves).  People were killed, including black police officers.  I suppose Gregory doesn't think their black lives matter?
2. Actually, the second point will require its own paragraph instead of a mere bullet point. So...

Notice how he was so quick to interject that "but", as though he is trying to minimize the guilt of the perpetrators of the violence.  Just suppose he was asked about some rogue activists who blew up abortion mills or shot abortionists.  Do you suppose he would have soft-pedalled those acts of violence as he did the riots last summer?  Of course not!  He would have condemned outright those acts of violence, without any jibber-jabber about the "frustration that energized them", and he would have been correct.  He is engaging in unconscionable double-standards here.  Why didn't Zimmerman call him out, as any decent journalist should have?  I digress.

So the Standard is waxing all giddy about the "first African American Cardinal". Hmmm..  I remember when another black cardinal gave a commencement address at Georgetown many years ago.  This was Cardinal Arinze.  He, however, spoke like an actual Prince of the Church, extolling the Church's teachings on life, marriage, sexuality, family life.  For his fidelity to the Magisterium, he was treated shamefully by Georgetown faculty, many of them walking out on his address.  So, in Washington DC, a prelate must tow the progressive talking points in order to be accepted by the powers that be.  Gregory excels at parroting the progressive spin, so they adore him.

The swamp known as the DC chancery remains as fetid as it always has.  Keep withholding your contribution dollars from the chancery, but keep praying for their repentance.