A young boy’s life changed forever within these very walls. This is Saint Carthage Roman Catholic Church in Chicago. Here on the south side Archbishop Wilton Gregory’s journey of faith began. He was just 11 years old a sixth-grader at St Carthage School. He wasn’t even Catholic at the time.
The 1950s saw huge changes in Chicago neighborhoods. The parish and the Adrian Dominican sisters welcomed non-Catholics many of whom were African-American. Young Wilton was one of them. He was mesmerized by the gentleness and compassion he saw. The Catholic faith touched every subject in school history geography language arts. They prayed before class and lunch and had weekly Mass.
The teachers’ pride and joy in their faith were infectious. Even a lay teacher who wasn’t Catholic felt it. The atmosphere was unquestionably Catholic but nobody pressured him. He wanted to belong. Within six weeks young Wilton declared his desire to be a priest.
He was baptized during the Easter Vigil that year. His sisters Elaine and Claudia also attended St Carthage. He entered the seminary later ordained a priest in 1973. At 36 he became the nation’s youngest bishop. His path was shaped by the priests and sisters at Saint Carthage Roman Catholic Church. Msgr John Hayes promoted social justice. Father Gerry Weber wrote books on the Catholic faith. These men were powerful influences.
In the midst of the 2002 abuse crisis Archbishop Gregory’s resolve was strengthened by their memory. He defended the good names of faithful priests like the ones who had inspired him. His gratitude for the Adrian Dominican sisters endured. He visited their cemetery in Adrian Michigan offering prayers of gratitude.
Sixty years after his baptism Archbishop Gregory reflected on this pivotal moment at Saint Carthage Roman Catholic Church. He remembered tilting his head over the baptismal basin the water pouring over his forehead. He received his first Eucharist that day. He’d never lost that desire to belong to the faith. His life’s path from a young boy at this church to becoming a cardinal is a powerful testament to the impact of faith. This small church played a huge role in the life of a man who would go on to achieve great things. Saint Carthage Roman Catholic Church helped shape one of the most influential figures in the American Catholic Church.