Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory’s appointment to lead the Archdiocese of Washington is a long-overdue honor for Gregory and the long-suffering black Catholic community in the United States. Often taken for granted, black Catholics now have an archbishop who heads a storied political archdiocese and is likely to become first black cardinal from this country.

Gregory’s appointment however, raises two important questions: Why did it take so long to appoint an African American bishop to one of the most important dioceses in the country? And why isn’t he a cardinal yet?

The answers partially lie in the history of racism within the U.S. Catholic church — and in the Washington region in particular.

...Gregory’s appointment is a turning point, but this appointment alone does not mean that racial issues are resolved in the U.S. Catholic Church. Racism is the reason it has taken so long for a black bishop to be in contention to become a cardinal.