Peter Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America, welcomed the newly appointed Archbishop of Washington and University Chancellor, Cardinal Robert McElroy, in an email message shared with the campus community today:
"On behalf of The Catholic University of America I would like to welcome His Eminence Cardinal Robert McElroy as the newly appointed Archbishop of Washington and, in that role, as Chancellor of The Catholic University of America.
"Cardinal McElroy has served as a Fellow and member of the University’s Board of Trustees since 2022. He also serves on the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and has additional national and Holy See responsibilities, including as a member of the Dicastery of Laity, Family and Life, and Dicastery of Promoting Integral Human Development.
"He is known for a pastoral approach that focuses on synodality and solidarity. He recently spoke of solidarity as not only a sense of common purpose and mission, reminding us we are all beneficiaries of our society and have an obligation to each other. I look forward to engaging with him on these and other issues as we continue together to build up Catholic University.
"He is a scholar, having earned multiple graduate degrees. After completing an undergraduate degree in American history at Harvard, he completed a master’s in the same subject at Stanford University, then began his studies for the priesthood, earning an M.Div. and S.T.L. He later received his doctorate in political science at Stanford and a doctorate in moral theology (S.T.D.) from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
"On behalf of our University community, I also extend our gratitude in a special way to His Eminence Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who has been a pastoral and thoughtful shepherd to the Church in Washington and a generous and insightful friend to our campus community. Your compassionate leadership and steadfast commitment to the mission of the Church have been an inspiration to many, and your legacy will continue to resonate for years to come.
"May God bless Cardinal Gregory in this new chapter of his life, and may He guide Cardinal McElroy as he begins his new mission."