Cardinal Wilton Gregory blesses the unveiled sign for a street on campus renamed in honor of Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Thea Bowman, M.A. 1969, Ph.D. 1972. (Catholic University/Patrick G. Ryan)
President Peter Kilpatrick will host Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the University’s chancellor, for a Wednesday, Dec. 6 conversation “Celebrating Diversity” as part of the President’s Speaker Series. The event, open to the public, will be held in Della Ratta Auditorium in Maloney Hall from 6 to 8 p.m.
The discussion with Cardinal Gregory, the first African-American cardinal, builds upon the University’s observance of Black Catholic History Month, an annual time when the Church celebrates in a special way the contributions of the faithful from Africa and the African diaspora.
Throughout November, the University community hosted a series of events highlighting trailblazers including Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Thea Bowman, M.A. 1969, Ph.D 1972, and the first Black American priest Father Augustus Tolton, both of whom are on the way to sainthood.
"The appointment of Cardinal Gregory was not only historic for our Church; it was a moment of personal joy for me as a Black American Catholic,” Veryl Miles, a professor of law, said. “Our Church history on the role and contributions of Black Americans in the United States has been the subject of recent scholarly research and very revelatory about our longstanding relationship with the Church. I believe the more we explore this history the more we learn about the power of faith, hope, and love in the lives of the devoted, like our Cardinal Gregory.”
Miles added: “Since the establishment of the Sister Thea Bowman Committee in 2020, the University has been on an important journey in celebrating the racial and ethnic diversity of our community, I can think of no better opportunity to celebrate this diversity than to hear from Cardinal Gregory."
This is the second installment of the Presidential Speaker Series, an initiative by President Kilpatrick to bring prominent figures to campus to foster dialogue on important topics that impact the University community and beyond. The series is expected to have speakers throughout the Spring Semester in 2024. The series began earlier this year when University of Notre Dame Professor Abigail Favale discussed gender identity from a Catholic perspective.
Join the discussion in Della Ratta Auditorium in Maloney Hall with a reception to follow in the pavilion. RSVP on the NEST so the University can have an accurate headcount for the reception.