Bishop Wilton D. Gregory attends ceremony in Illinois

<p>Bishop Wilton D. Gregory led a ceremony Sunday honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe during his first public appearance here since being named the new archbishop of Atlanta.</p><p>Members of the congregation at St. Peter's Cathedral took pictures of Gregory as he walked down the aisle in what was one of his last appearances in Belleville.</p><p>Gregory was named the new archbishop of Atlanta on Thursday. He'll replace departing Archbishop John F. Donoghue beginning Jan. 17.</p><p>Theresa Lucash, a local teacher, gave Gregory a painting of St. Mary.</p><p>"I sincerely hope you place this in your new home as a way to remember us," Lucash said.</p><p>As Atlanta's sixth archbishop, Gregory will lead an archdiocese twice as large and with four times the population of his current diocese.</p><p>"We all have mixed feelings, because we're going to miss him dearly," said Victoria Behrman, whose daughter was baptized by Gregory. "We also know that he'll be happy wherever he ventures."</p><p>Parishioners applauded as Gregory exited the cathedral.</p><p>Gregory said he'll miss the Behrmans and other families like them.</p><p>"These are wonderful people," Gregory said. "We've been through tough times together and we've grown together."</p><p>Gregory will continue his duties as Bishop in Belleville, including leading the Christmas Eve midnight Mass. A farewell ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 7.</p><p>Gregory is a former president of America's Roman Catholic bishops conference, who led the prelates through the height of the clergy sex abuse crisis. He was the first black president of the bishops conference when he was elected in November 2001.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/12/155367