Roman Catholic Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, remained asymptomatic Saturday following a positive test for COVID-19, a spokeswoman said.
The 74-year-old prelate, installed in May 2019 as the successor to Cardinal Donald Wuerl, reported a positive result on Friday, following a rapid antigen test “given by a lab technician,” he wrote in a statement.
“I am fully vaccinated and boosted. I am experiencing no symptoms at this time and overall I feel quite well,” Cardinal Gregory added. “Following my doctor’s guidance, I will now quarantine at home.”
He said the diagnosis meant he would miss Sunday Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. Cardinal Gregory said he would also miss “a regional spiritual retreat” slated for this week.
“When our work week begins on Tuesday, January 4, I will work virtually as needed,” the Cardinal said.In a Sunday morning email, Patricia Zapor, the archdiocese’s media relations director, said, “As of yesterday, my last report, the Cardinal was continuing to be well, no Covid symptoms.”
Cardinal Gregory, in announcing his test result, wrote, “As the omicron variant of Covid sweeps through our area, I ask that you please continue to be extremely cautious: using appropriate facemasks, getting vaccinated and boosted, and following the guidance of our public health officials.”
SEE ALSO: D.C. charter schools offer perks to counter teacher burnout, turnover
He added, “We have learned in these past 21 months that we do better in this pandemic when we work together to care for one another. Despite the challenges we are facing, including our need for relief and healing from this pandemic, we must not lose hope or our commitment to continued safety precautions and kindness for our loved ones and neighbors.”
The archdiocese comprises 139 parishes and 90 Catholic schools in the District of Columbia and the counties of Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s in Maryland, with more than 655,000 Catholics.
• Mark A. Kellner can be reached at mkellner@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.